https://www.scmp.com/rss/515834/feed Leopold holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Communication from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He used to work part-time with the metro news team of The Standard. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Leopold Chen Leopold Chen More than 4,000 passengers were expected to use the expanded second terminal at Hong Kong International Airport on its first day of operation on Wednesday, a launch the managing authority described as smooth Some passengers praised Terminal 2 for its efficiency but said that more convenient boarding arrangements were needed. Hong Kong Airlines became the first – and so far only – carrier to use the upgraded terminal, with 36 flights scheduled to depart throughout the day. Fourteen more airlines... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3354961/passengers-praise-efficiency-hong-kong-airports-terminal-2-opens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3354961/passengers-praise-efficiency-hong-kong-airports-terminal-2-opens?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 00:02:21 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A Hong Kong medical technology firm manufacturing tailor-made body implants will expand research initiatives and explore setting up a factory in Central Asia, in a further collaboration which one expert said could also benefit the city. Koln 3D, Hong Kong’s first orthopaedic and metal component printing technology company, revealed its plan ahead of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s coming visit to the region early next month. “For me, Central Asian countries are like Saudi Arabia 20 to 30... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354918/hong-kong-firm-makes-medical-implants-expand-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354918/hong-kong-firm-makes-medical-implants-expand-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 23:30:04 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Debates continued to rage online after a Hong Kong school principal was filmed verbally abusing two South Asian security guards in Singapore, with viewers divided over whether his behaviour reflected a lack of manners or racial bias. Lee Cheuk-hing, the principal of San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School in Tuen Mun, was caught on camera behaving badly and swearing at two security guards during a school trip to Singapore last Friday. While many criticised the principal’s lack of courtesy,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354946/bad-mannered-or-racist-debate-rages-over-hong-kong-principals-singapore-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354946/bad-mannered-or-racist-debate-rages-over-hong-kong-principals-singapore-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 15:36:40 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Three elderly Hong Kong hikers who were reported missing in Sai Kung have been found following a rescue operation that lasted more than 12 hours. The Fire Services Department called off the operation at 11.05am on Tuesday after the trio, all in their seventies, were located. None required hospital treatment. The early morning search prompted the development of a government helicopter. Police earlier said they received the initial report at 10.15pm on Monday from members of a hiking group, who... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354842/search-2-missing-hikers-continues-third-found-sai-kung-village?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354842/search-2-missing-hikers-continues-third-found-sai-kung-village?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 03:46:29 +0000 Danny Mok,Leopold Chen,Lo Hoi-ying Danny Mok,Leopold Chen,Lo Hoi-ying Perennial “bun king” Kwok Ka‑ming captured the men’s crown for the 11th time at Hong Kong’s annual bun-scrambling competition on Cheung Chau, while Janet Kung Tsz‑shan – last year’s women’s champion – also successfully defended her title. The competition is the highlight of the annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival, which drew more than 18,000 visitors to the outlying island on Sunday, including tourists who travelled there to watch a parade featuring “floating” children dressed in costumes. Kwok, who... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354665/crowds-top-10000-hong-kongs-cheung-chau-bun-festival-parade-draws-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354665/crowds-top-10000-hong-kongs-cheung-chau-bun-festival-parade-draws-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 07:18:39 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A group of Hongkongers have started the city’s first corpse restoration team, aiming to provide affordable reconstruction services for badly disfigured bodies so the dead can be buried with dignity and their families can find some comfort. The six-member team, under local funeral information sharing platform RIPHK, has handled more than 10 cases since it started operations last December, including victims who died in the Tai Po fire in November. After the disaster, a professional corpse... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354619/dignity-dead-6-hongkongers-form-citys-first-corpse-restoration-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354619/dignity-dead-6-hongkongers-form-citys-first-corpse-restoration-team?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 08:32:18 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong will take into account local public transport conditions and passenger needs when deciding how many ride-hailing vehicles can operate legally, ensuring service standards remain unchanged, the city’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday that a mechanism would be established to monitor market operations and data, as well as to conduct dynamic assessments and reviews of quotas. His remarks were made after authorities revealed details of the regulatory... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354058/ride-hailing-licence-cap-must-strike-balance-hong-kong-john-lee-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354058/ride-hailing-licence-cap-must-strike-balance-hong-kong-john-lee-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 05:30:46 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Issuing “several thousand” licences to ride-hailing vehicles under a proposed regulatory framework will be insufficient to meet demand, a Hong Kong government transport advisory body has said, calling for a quota that will not compromise existing services. Speaking after meeting government officials on Monday, Professor Wong Sze-chun, chairman of the Transport Advisory Committee, said members did not suggest specific numbers for ride-hailing platforms, vehicles or driver licences. “[A level of]... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3354001/several-thousand-ride-hailing-licences-wont-cover-demand-advisory-panel-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3354001/several-thousand-ride-hailing-licences-wont-cover-demand-advisory-panel-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 12:26:51 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s largest annual LGBTQ carnival has been cancelled for the second year in a row after failing to secure a venue and the relevant event licences, according to its organiser. Pink Dot HK announced on Monday that it was forced to cancel this year’s festival after property manager Link Reit pulled its offer to rent two venues to the advocacy group. The event was scheduled to be held at Stanley Plaza and Murray House on June 14, after Link Reit earlier pledged its support and facilitation... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353979/lgbtq-carnival-axed-second-year-row-after-failing-secure-venue-licences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353979/lgbtq-carnival-axed-second-year-row-after-failing-secure-venue-licences?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 09:37:31 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po will seek to explain Hong Kong’s efforts to combat terrorism funding and work to attract more capital and business to the city during a five-day Europe trip, with the minister noting that stabilising geopolitics will strengthen foreign ties and the economic environment. The finance chief’s coming trip was announced on Sunday, and follows an easing of tensions after US President Donald Trump visited mainland China and news that Russian President Vladimir Putin... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3353864/hong-kongs-paul-chan-heading-europe-so-whats-itinerary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3353864/hong-kongs-paul-chan-heading-europe-so-whats-itinerary?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 07:08:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong police will prosecute a seventh suspect who was handed over by Shenzhen authorities on Saturday and are seeking another over the 1999 murder of a newspaper vendor. The force said on Sunday that it would charge a 54-year-old man surnamed Lin with murder for his alleged role in the killing of Ho Wai-ha in Sham Shui Po more than 25 years ago. Lin is suspected of recruiting the attackers and arranging a vehicle for them. A holding charge was laid after authorities in Shenzhen handed over... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3353857/hong-kong-police-prosecute-7th-suspect-1999-murder-seeking-8th?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3353857/hong-kong-police-prosecute-7th-suspect-1999-murder-seeking-8th?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 05:09:40 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A 38-year-old motorcyclist has died after his vehicle crashed into a fallen tree branch by a road in Hong Kong’s New Territories. Police said on Sunday that they received a report at 10.32pm the day before that an accident involving a motorcycle had taken place in Tai Po. The force said the rider was travelling along Yuen Shin Road in the direction of Sha Tin when the incident happened. “When approaching Tolo Highway, [the motorcycle] reportedly failed to brake in time and crashed into a fallen... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3353853/hong-kong-man-38-killed-after-motorcycle-crashes-fallen-tree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3353853/hong-kong-man-38-killed-after-motorcycle-crashes-fallen-tree?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 03:46:59 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Tin Sam Tsuen in northern Hong Kong, marked by small houses built with bricks in a traditional colour and an ancestral hall with green and white walls, has been home to generations of residents for hundreds of years. From traditional rituals to celebrate newborns to flowing banquets during festive occasions, the village of about 50 households in far-flung Hung Shui Kiu holds many memories for its residents. Villagers would come together, moving in and out of the clan hall to share meals laid out... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353734/residents-historic-hong-kong-village-run-out-options-evictions-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353734/residents-historic-hong-kong-village-run-out-options-evictions-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Wrestling with mounting financial difficulties and the challenges of caring for a child with autism, Hong Kong mother Chau Ting-ting found herself struggling several years ago with thoughts of ending her life. The 30-year-old recalled on Thursday that her son Ziyi, now five, began displaying symptoms consistent with autism when he was two years old. Counsellors advised her to send the boy to a nursery to increase his contact with other children his age. “But when I went to the nursery, I saw... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353596/hong-kong-project-helps-turn-around-lives-special-needs-children-and-their-parents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353596/hong-kong-project-helps-turn-around-lives-special-needs-children-and-their-parents?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Canvas, the education platform hit by a global data breach affecting 72,571 Hongkongers, has reached an agreement with the hackers to return all compromised data. Instructure, the parent company of Canvas, has said it would hold a webinar for its leadership on Wednesday to provide details of the attack and discuss measures to “harden the system”. The saga, which first emerged last Thursday, is estimated to have affected about 9,000 institutions worldwide. In a statement on its website,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3353374/canvas-reaches-deal-hackers-return-data-including-hong-kong-users?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3353374/canvas-reaches-deal-hackers-return-data-including-hong-kong-users?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 04:57:05 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Leopold Chen Jeffie Lam,Leopold Chen Hong Kong will halve tolls for all commercial vehicles using public tunnels for two months from Sunday, in the government’s latest effort to ease business costs after a previous surge in fuel prices driven by the war in the Middle East. Buses, goods vehicles, light buses and taxis registered with the Transport Department will benefit from the measure, while private cars and motorcycles are excluded, according to a government announcement on Wednesday. The temporary 50 per cent discount will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3353359/hong-kong-halves-tunnel-tolls-commercial-vehicles-amid-surging-fuel-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3353359/hong-kong-halves-tunnel-tolls-commercial-vehicles-amid-surging-fuel-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 03:53:33 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities plan to lease out government-built day care facilities for the elderly to the private sector under a pilot programme aimed at providing more diverse services targeting older middle-class residents. Labour and Welfare Bureau officials said in a Legislative Council panel meeting on Monday that the government would introduce the “publicly built, privately run” model to provide “more diverse and higher quality” elderly care services. Under the plan, the government will invite... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353126/hong-kong-have-privately-run-care-services-under-new-scheme-middle-class-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353126/hong-kong-have-privately-run-care-services-under-new-scheme-middle-class-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 07:21:06 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen When Law Yin-ping moved into a village house in Yick Yuen Tsuen in northwest Hong Kong’s Lam Tei more than a decade ago with her granddaughters, it never crossed her mind that they could one day be rendered homeless – and forcibly separated. The Tuen Mun village falls within the government’s planned Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area, which is set to become a high-end professional services and logistics hub under the Northern Metropolis megaproject. Law, who is nearly 70, said on Sunday... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353051/forfeiture-rights-hong-kong-villagers-slam-rushed-northern-metropolis-evictions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353051/forfeiture-rights-hong-kong-villagers-slam-rushed-northern-metropolis-evictions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 11:43:53 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Stories filled with tragic bravery, outrage at heedless officials and horror as loved ones perished were among those shared by 24 residents of the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court estate, as they testified at a public hearing investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades. Over multiple sessions that began on March 19, some told the presiding committee how their repeated efforts to raise bid-rigging and safety concerns about the estate’s exterior renovation fell on deaf ears, well before the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353000/heroism-and-grief-6-residents-stories-wang-fuk-court-fire-hearings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353000/heroism-and-grief-6-residents-stories-wang-fuk-court-fire-hearings?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 11:01:23 +0000 Davies Christian Surya,Matthew Cheng,Leopold Chen,Lau Ka-kuen Davies Christian Surya,Matthew Cheng,Leopold Chen,Lau Ka-kuen https://www.scmp.com/article/3351726/part-3-accountability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/3351726/part-3-accountability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 23:00:05 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The independent committee investigating Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po blaze has finished 21 sessions of evidential hearings over three rounds, identifying loopholes in the supervision of the estate’s renovation project and the government’s regulation of fire hazards. The inferno broke out on November 26 last year when all eight blocks at Wang Fuk Court were undergoing exterior maintenance work and were covered in scaffolding and mesh netting. The fire tore through seven blocks, killing 168 people... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352423/what-public-inquiry-deadly-tai-po-blaze-has-revealed-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352423/what-public-inquiry-deadly-tai-po-blaze-has-revealed-so-far?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Kristen Cheung,Eric Jiang,Leopold Chen Kristen Cheung,Eric Jiang,Leopold Chen Nearly all of the residents of the seven towers engulfed in flames at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court last year returned to their former homes to retrieve their belongings over a 15-day operation that ended on Monday, with police investigating at least 19 suspected thefts. The government said 6,265 people from 1,674 households took part in the return programme that began on April 20, including some who were helping to move the belongings who were not former residents of the Tai Po estate. “The vast... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352333/hong-kong-extends-tax-waiver-residents-displaced-deadly-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352333/hong-kong-extends-tax-waiver-residents-displaced-deadly-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 06:32:26 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong police have arrested two people on suspicion of burglary after one of them allegedly climbed maintenance work scaffolding at a residential building and prised open window grilles at two homes before stealing HK$6,000 (US$765) in cash. The force also warned on Saturday that it was becoming a trend for burglars to enter flats at buildings undergoing renovation to their exteriors through scaffolding, urging security guards to heighten their vigilance. Cheung Man-tik, a senior inspector... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352241/building-scaffolding-gives-burglars-easy-access-police-say-after-2-arrested?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352241/building-scaffolding-gives-burglars-easy-access-police-say-after-2-arrested?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 16:16:21 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Leopold Chen Connor Mycroft,Leopold Chen Four winning tickets took home over HK$55.7 million (US$7.1 million) each for first prize in Hong Kong’s largest Mark Six jackpot. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the city’s sole gambling and lottery operator, also said on Saturday that 36.5 units won HK$347,110 for the second-tier prize, while 1,153.7 units each scooped the third-tier prize of HK$29,280. The winning numbers on Saturday were 2, 3, 8, 28, 30, 48, with 9 as the extra number. The total turnover reached about HK$414 million, a more than... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352236/hongkongers-queue-betting-shops-ahead-record-hk228-million-mark-six-draw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352236/hongkongers-queue-betting-shops-ahead-record-hk228-million-mark-six-draw?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 12:54:12 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong is expected to experience thunderstorms on Sunday, as a cold front sweeps across the coast of Guangdong and brings temperatures down to as low as about 21 degrees Celsius (69.8 Fahrenheit) a day later. The Observatory said on Saturday that the weather would turn bad late on Sunday, with a trough of low pressure over central China developing into a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352229/hong-kong-set-thunderstorms-sunday-cold-front-approaches-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352229/hong-kong-set-thunderstorms-sunday-cold-front-approaches-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 11:09:45 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities are searching for a 28-year-old man who went hiking and lost contact with his family after a dispute with his girlfriend, with a helicopter deployed to aid in the operation. Police said on Saturday that they received a report at 11.30am from a man who said his younger brother had lost contact with his family after arguing with his girlfriend the evening before. The caller added his brother last posted on social media that he was hiking along the fourth section of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352223/rescuers-search-man-who-went-missing-while-hiking-after-row-girlfriend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352223/rescuers-search-man-who-went-missing-while-hiking-after-row-girlfriend?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 10:30:30 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen An official tendering system designed to curb anti-competitive conduct is powerless to combat engineering firms colluding to manipulate Hong Kong’s lucrative building maintenance market, a public inquiry into the city’s deadliest fire in decades has heard. Testifying on the 21st day of an independent committee’s hearing, three Urban Renewal Authority (URA) officials said on Thursday that the statutory body had neither the capacity nor the resources to combat bid-rigging linked to estates’... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352067/tai-po-fire-tendering-system-cant-stop-firms-manipulating-market-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352067/tai-po-fire-tendering-system-cant-stop-firms-manipulating-market-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:04:14 +0000 Leopold Chen,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,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 investigating the deadly blaze at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court residential estate held its 21st day of evidential hearings on Thursday. Three witnesses from the Urban Renewal Authority gave evidence. URA case manager Matthew Chan Yat-ho, said the authority was aware of the practice of bid-rigging in the building maintenance sector, but... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351931/tai-po-fire-probe-uras-lack-price-checks-opened-door-unscrupulous-consultants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351931/tai-po-fire-probe-uras-lack-price-checks-opened-door-unscrupulous-consultants?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 03:21:28 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Medical claims paid by Hong Kong insurers could double within a decade, a study has warned, raising concerns over the sector’s sustainability. The findings, released on Tuesday, showed total medical claims in the city rose by more than 60 per cent between 2019 and 2023, driven largely by a surge in inpatient bills, especially for day procedures. “If such an increase continues at the same rate, it will raise serious concerns about the affordability of private health insurance for both employers... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3351691/hong-kong-insurers-health-jeopardy-medical-claims-could-double-decade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3351691/hong-kong-insurers-health-jeopardy-medical-claims-could-double-decade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:24:46 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Government surveyors failed to detect major fire risks at a housing complex destroyed in Hong Kong’s deadliest inferno in decades because they were following outdated guidelines that did not require in-person inspections of renovation works, a public inquiry has heard. The independent committee was told on Monday that illegal alterations to Wang Fuk Court’s emergency passages during the HK$336 million (US$42.9 million) overhaul of the estate’s exterior could have been discovered sooner had... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351604/fire-risks-not-spotted-due-old-inspection-guidelines-tai-po-blaze-inquiry-told?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351604/fire-risks-not-spotted-due-old-inspection-guidelines-tai-po-blaze-inquiry-told?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:55:41 +0000 Leopold Chen,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,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 investigating Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire examined the roles of building and home affairs authorities on the 20th day of evidential hearings. Four witnesses from the Buildings Department and the Home Affairs Department testified before the judge-led panel on Monday. Cheung Yuk-ching, an assistant director of the Buildings... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351448/tai-po-fire-probe-higher-qualifications-supervision-required-repair-works?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351448/tai-po-fire-probe-higher-qualifications-supervision-required-repair-works?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 03:07:48 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities launched 18 joint operations against illicit refuelling stations this year amid a global surge in energy prices, with the customs chief noting that the practice has become increasingly common in urban areas. But Commissioner for Customs and Excise Chan Tsz-tat said on Saturday that despite the upwards trend, illegal refuelling was not widespread locally. “The cost of owning a private vehicle in Hong Kong is very high, and petrol prices here are undoubtedly among the highest... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351406/toughest-stance-hong-kong-launches-18-operations-against-illegal-fuel-stations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3351406/toughest-stance-hong-kong-launches-18-operations-against-illegal-fuel-stations?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 06:17:03 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong will step up law enforcement against coerced shopping, unlicensed tour guides and unfair sales practices targeting visitors during mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week”, the city’s tourism minister has said. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said on Saturday that hotel occupancy rates in Hong Kong were expected to exceed 90 per cent during the period, with the government estimating that 980,000 mainland travellers would visit, up by 7 per cent from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351402/hong-kong-step-crackdown-coerced-shopping-scams-during-labour-day-golden-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351402/hong-kong-step-crackdown-coerced-shopping-scams-during-labour-day-golden-week?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 04:58:03 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s fire services chief has acknowledged that better communication with building authorities is needed after an independent committee earlier revealed that his officers had taken no action against possible safety breaches during renovations at Wang Fuk Court, where 168 people were killed in last year’s inferno. But Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung Yan-kin insisted on Friday that authorities had clear divisions of work when it came to the supervision of renovation projects, even as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351341/departments-must-communicate-better-fire-chief-tells-tai-po-blaze-hearing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351341/departments-must-communicate-better-fire-chief-tells-tai-po-blaze-hearing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Leopold Chen,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,Brian Wong This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The head of the Fire Services Department testified on the 19th day of evidential hearings looking at Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades – the most senior official to appear before the investigating committee so far. Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung Yan-kin appeared before the independent committee on Friday to testify about the department’s operations... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351232/tai-po-fire-probe-water-pressure-could-only-reach-20th-floor-commander-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351232/tai-po-fire-probe-water-pressure-could-only-reach-20th-floor-commander-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:07:00 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen A public inquiry into Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has exposed confusion among government agencies over their roles in supervising large renovation projects, with a fire services officer insisting on Wednesday that his department was not responsible for handling complaints about flammable building materials because it lacked construction expertise. Hours after the hearing, the Fire Services Department announced it would launch a new mechanism this month for handling cases involving fire... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351019/confusion-over-government-agencies-roles-fire-oversight-tai-po-probe-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351019/confusion-over-government-agencies-roles-fire-oversight-tai-po-probe-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Leopold Chen,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,Brian Wong This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Four officers from Hong Kong’s fire department testified on Wednesday before an independent committee investigating the Wang Fuk Court fire, as hearings entered their 17th day. The conflagration, which broke out on November 26 last year amid a major renovation, claimed 168 lives, displaced about 5,000 residents and destroyed seven of the estate’s eight... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350941/wang-fuk-court-hazard-complaints-none-fire-departments-business-probe-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350941/wang-fuk-court-hazard-complaints-none-fire-departments-business-probe-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:51:32 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen A Labour Department official has told an inquiry into Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po inferno that the temporary removal of fireproof windows from emergency passages in the blaze-hit estate complied with occupational safety protocols, triggering questions on whether the interests of workers and residents are at odds. The inquiry also heard on Tuesday that a department officer had misled Wang Fuk Court residents by claiming the fire resistance of renovation material was outside the purview of the law,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350910/tai-po-blaze-probe-temporary-removal-fireproof-windows-complied-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350910/tai-po-blaze-probe-temporary-removal-fireproof-windows-complied-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:32:49 +0000 Leopold Chen,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,Brian Wong This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong labour authorities’ handling of Wang Fuk Court residents’ complaints and inspections at the renovation site were scrutinised by the independent committee on the 16th day of its evidential hearing. Officers from the Labour Department testified on Tuesday before the judge-led panel investigating the fire that engulfed all but one of the estate’s eight... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3350809/tai-po-fire-probe-workers-might-have-smoked-despite-inspections-labour-department-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3350809/tai-po-fire-probe-workers-might-have-smoked-despite-inspections-labour-department-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:44:54 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen A public inquiry into Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has heard that authorities and representatives of Wang Fuk Court homeowners took no proactive steps against alleged vote rigging at the subsidised housing estate. Jason Kong Cheung-fat, a former management committee member of the owners’ corporation at Wang Fuk Court, said on Monday that the abuse of proxy votes was a long-standing problem that had enabled his predecessors to maintain a firm grip on power until they were ousted over a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350746/vote-rigging-wang-fuk-court-went-unchecked-deadly-fire-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350746/vote-rigging-wang-fuk-court-went-unchecked-deadly-fire-inquiry-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Leopold Chen,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,Brian Wong This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The third set of public evidential hearings into the deadly fire at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court began on Monday and concluded its 15th day of testimony in half a day. The sole witness to testify on the day, Jason Kong Cheung-fat, was re-elected into the owners’ corporation management committee as a member in September in 2024, when chairman Tang Kwok-kuen was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350661/tai-po-fire-probe-new-management-committee-failed-tackle-abuse-proxy-votes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350661/tai-po-fire-probe-new-management-committee-failed-tackle-abuse-proxy-votes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:46:01 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The Hong Kong government should use its proposed accountability system prudently to investigate department heads and avoid undermining morale among civil servants, a top adviser to the city’s leader has said. But Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, convenor of the city’s top decision-making Executive Council, stressed on Sunday that the system would serve as a reminder for leaders to actively spot deficiencies in their departments and “do better in handling residents’ complaints”. In a televised interview,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350612/government-should-probe-department-heads-cautiously-under-new-system-regina-ip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350612/government-should-probe-department-heads-cautiously-under-new-system-regina-ip?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:09:38 +0000 Natalie Wong,Leopold Chen Natalie Wong,Leopold Chen Hong Kong is set to announce on Monday a new batch of “strategic enterprises” establishing a presence in the city, including several firms with market capitalisations of up to HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion), the finance chief has revealed. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday that the new partners were in high-growth sectors, including life and health technology, the low-altitude economy, artificial intelligence (AI), new energy materials and fintech. “Those life and health... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350608/new-firms-hk100-billion-market-capitalisation-set-shop-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350608/new-firms-hk100-billion-market-capitalisation-set-shop-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:04:23 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Matthew Cheng,Brian Wong,Leopold Chen This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The hearing by an independent panel investigating the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong entered its 14th day on Friday. The hearing focused on the role of the management committee of the owners’ corporation, with a former chairman of the body and a construction worker testifying. Tony Tsui Moon-come, chairman of the management committee at the time of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350390/no-cigarettes-allowed-and-no-one-seen-smoking-worker-tells-tai-po-fire-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350390/no-cigarettes-allowed-and-no-one-seen-smoking-worker-tells-tai-po-fire-inquiry?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 02:35:35 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Two renovation subcontractors involved in a HK$336 million (US$42.9 million) project at a subsidised estate ravaged by Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades have conceded they did not regulate workers’ smoking behaviour before the inferno. The two engineering firms on Thursday also told an independent committee that they had partially replaced fireproof windows at Wang Fuk Court’s evacuation passages with movable wooden boards to allow workers’ easy access to scaffolding at the behest of main... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350318/we-failed-check-if-workers-smoked-wang-fuk-court-firms-tell-fire-hearing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350318/we-failed-check-if-workers-smoked-wang-fuk-court-firms-tell-fire-hearing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:17:21 +0000 Leopold Chen,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,Brian Wong This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. More Wang Fuk Court residents and senior staff at two engineering firms testified on Thursday for the 13th day of an evidential hearing into Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades. Justice David Lok Kai-hong, the committee chairman, said a day earlier that the body would avoid deciding for the time being on whether it would apply to the city leader to become a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350238/tai-po-fire-probe-resident-recalls-deaths-3-family-members-domestic-helper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350238/tai-po-fire-probe-resident-recalls-deaths-3-family-members-domestic-helper?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 02:41:07 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen A Hong Kong fire services official has defended a decision to decline mainland Chinese firefighters’ help in combating the city’s deadliest inferno in decades, citing concerns that they might have been unable to immediately adapt to the new environment and effectively communicate with their local counterparts. On the 12th day of a public evidential hearing on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Sunny Wong Sze-lut also justified the firefighting strategies during the blaze that raged for around... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350191/hong-kong-official-defends-decision-decline-mainland-firefighters-help-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350191/hong-kong-official-defends-decision-decline-mainland-firefighters-help-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Leopold Chen,Brian Wong Leopold Chen,Brian Wong This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. A judge-led panel investigating the causes of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, which killed 168 people in Tai Po, concluded its 12th day of evidential hearings on Wednesday. Representatives from the Fire Services Department and police testified before the independent committee looking into the Wang Fuk Court blaze and the systemic problems it revealed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350104/tai-po-probe-sees-ideal-progress-not-yet-time-commission-inquiry-chair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350104/tai-po-probe-sees-ideal-progress-not-yet-time-commission-inquiry-chair?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:28:27 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities should consider the impact of technological developments when drafting policies, observers have said, noting the government’s decision to halt plans for basketball betting reflected a lack of thorough discussion. Their remarks on Tuesday followed the government announcing the suspension over concerns about new “prediction market” gambling while warning that it was illegal for Hongkongers to bet on sports events on such trading platforms. An amendment bill to the Betting... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350095/call-check-tech-trends-when-drafting-policies-after-basketball-betting-u-turn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350095/call-check-tech-trends-when-drafting-policies-after-basketball-betting-u-turn?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:01:05 +0000 Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Brian Wong,Leopold Chen Firefighters combating Hong Kong’s deadliest inferno in decades prioritised bringing the blaze under control over evacuating residents due to the “unprecedented” scale of the disaster, a public inquiry has heard. Four Fire Services Department officers on Monday shared how the operation unfolded during the initial stage of the 43-hour inferno that ravaged Wang Fuk Court in November. They highlighted the difficulties in rescuing residents trapped in their homes due to the flames’ rapid spread... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349916/firefighters-prioritised-tackling-blaze-over-rescues-tai-po-probe-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349916/firefighters-prioritised-tackling-blaze-over-rescues-tai-po-probe-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:01:23 +0000