https://www.scmp.com/rss/525588/feed Kristen Cheung previously interned at Initium Media and holds an MPhil in Cultural Studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where her research focused on historical cross-border labor movements. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung A Hong Kong primary school facing its third closure threat in two decades due to declining enrolment announced on Tuesday that it will merge with a neighbouring institution from the new academic year in September. The 57-year-old Fresh Fish Traders’ School in Tai Kok Tsui was among 15 institutions allocated zero Primary One classes for the coming term amid a persistent drop in the city’s student population. The decision follows a warning issued by education authorities two months ago. Under a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3354919/57-year-old-hong-kong-school-merge-after-3rd-closure-threat-two-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3354919/57-year-old-hong-kong-school-merge-after-3rd-closure-threat-two-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 11:20:33 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Hong Kong’s note-issuing banks are replacing burnt cash for Wang Fuk Court residents, following emergency measures introduced by the city’s Monetary Authority and lenders to support those affected by last November’s devastating fire at the Tai Po estate. The extent of the residents’ financial losses came into the spotlight as they returned to the site to collect their belongings during a 15-day government operation that wrapped up earlier this month. When residents visited Wang Tai House, one of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354667/hong-kong-banks-replace-burnt-cash-residents-fire-ravaged-wang-fuk-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354667/hong-kong-banks-replace-burnt-cash-residents-fire-ravaged-wang-fuk-court?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 04:00:05 +0000 Olga Wong,Kristen Cheung,Theodora Yu Olga Wong,Kristen Cheung,Theodora Yu Hong Kong has issued a red travel alert for the Democratic Republic of Congo as Ebola outbreaks escalate in Central Africa, with at least 139 suspected deaths from the disease reported. The red alert – the middle level in a three-tier outbound travel alert system under the Security Bureau – means residents travelling to the country should adjust their plans and avoid non-essential travel due to the significant threat there. The move on Thursday follows the health authorities’ announcement on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3354395/hong-kong-issues-red-travel-alert-dr-congo-deadly-ebola-outbreak-spreads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3354395/hong-kong-issues-red-travel-alert-dr-congo-deadly-ebola-outbreak-spreads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 11:15:52 +0000 Fiona Chow,Kristen Cheung Fiona Chow,Kristen Cheung The administrator of the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court has reassured residents that the Hong Kong government will assume responsibility for pursuing claims on insurance policies bought by the estate on behalf of owners who sell their flats to authorities under a buy-back plan. But some residents of the Tai Po estate who attended Wednesday’s Zoom briefing by Hop On Management found key questions regarding their insurance claims remained unanswered, including how and when they could expect... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354276/government-handle-wang-fuk-court-insurance-claims-under-buyback-plan-administrator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354276/government-handle-wang-fuk-court-insurance-claims-under-buyback-plan-administrator?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:21 +0000 Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung Owners at Wang Chi House, the only block spared in Hong Kong’s fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court, have until October 15 to finalise the sale of homes under a government buyback scheme – provided more than 75 per cent of them indicate their intention to sell by the end of next month. However, the tight timeline has sparked widespread frustration among residents, who complain they are being pressured to make a decision without crucial details regarding insurance coverage and future maintenance... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354009/spared-wang-fuk-court-block-owners-given-mid-october-finalise-buyback-offer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354009/spared-wang-fuk-court-block-owners-given-mid-october-finalise-buyback-offer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 14:02:10 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has opened the city’s first full-stack interactive robotics lab, partnering with 24 tech firms, mostly from mainland China, to train talent and develop humanoid robots over the next five years. The Hong Kong Embodied AI Lab, established by CUHK’s Hong Kong Centre for Logistics Robotics under the government’s InnoHK initiative, has already introduced upgraded versions of the city’s first locally developed AI-powered robotic arms and a quadruped robot,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353951/hong-kongs-cuhk-aims-bring-ai-life-humanoid-focused-robotics-lab?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353951/hong-kongs-cuhk-aims-bring-ai-life-humanoid-focused-robotics-lab?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 07:52:16 +0000 Vivian Au,Fiona Chow,Kristen Cheung Vivian Au,Fiona Chow,Kristen Cheung Wang Fuk Court’s administrator has revealed that HK$180 million (US$22.9 million) has been paid to parties involved in the estate’s renovation project, with the remaining HK$127 million to be refunded to owners displaced by one of Hong Kong’s deadliest fires in decades. The details were disclosed during a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, one of two sessions arranged for residents by Hop On Management Company, the government-appointed administrator of the Tai Po estate following the fire. The second... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353322/wang-fuk-court-administrator-outlines-hk127-million-refund-displaced-owners?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353322/wang-fuk-court-administrator-outlines-hk127-million-refund-displaced-owners?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 15:08:03 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung An Australian man has been remanded in custody and hit with fresh charges in Hong Kong for fleeing restaurants without paying more than HK$2,000 (US$255) in bills, just a day after being fined for similar offences. Samuel Anthony Monkivitch, 50, was detained soon after pleading guilty at Eastern Court on Thursday to three charges – two of failing to pay HK$1,200 in bills at a restaurant and a massage parlour, and one of common assault. He was fined HK$3,000 and ordered to use his bail money to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352887/australian-remanded-fresh-eat-and-run-charges-hong-kong-day-after-being-fined?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352887/australian-remanded-fresh-eat-and-run-charges-hong-kong-day-after-being-fined?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 08:58:46 +0000 Jeffie Lam,Kristen Cheung Jeffie Lam,Kristen Cheung An intergovernmental mediation body headquartered in Hong Kong resolved a maritime dispute between parties from mainland China and Singapore this month, a success hailed as a milestone for the organisation that has attracted more members since its launch last year. Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, secretary general of the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed), revealed the achievement on Friday at a summit, where senior officials reaffirmed Hong Kong’s pledge to act as a mediation centre amid... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352874/hong-kong-based-mediation-body-resolves-international-maritime-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352874/hong-kong-based-mediation-body-resolves-international-maritime-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 08:04:17 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Hong Kong authorities have urged the public to stop using a certain model of Zwilling electric kettle over concerns that the handle may detach, posing a risk of scalding. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department on Thursday issued a safety recall for the kettle (model 53005). Consumers should contact the supplier, Cheong Hing (1917) Company Limited, at 2687 5879 to arrange a refund. The supplier warned that, in a small number of cases, the kettle’s handle may loosen or break,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352741/hong-kong-recalls-zwilling-electric-kettles-over-handle-defect-and-scalding-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352741/hong-kong-recalls-zwilling-electric-kettles-over-handle-defect-and-scalding-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 08:59:15 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Hong Kong authorities have arrested 27 people and seized more than 21,000 litres of illicit fuel worth about HK$3.3 million (US$421,200) in a crackdown on triad-linked illegal fuel sales amid soaring global oil prices. Customs, police and fire services on Wednesday said they had jointly tackled 19 cases between April 13 and 30 in an operation code-named “Knockout”, during which 15 vehicles and a speedboat used to transport the fuel were also seized. The investigation found that the vehicles were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352638/27-held-hk33m-fuel-seized-hong-kong-cracks-down-illegal-sales-triads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3352638/27-held-hk33m-fuel-seized-hong-kong-cracks-down-illegal-sales-triads?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 11:17:52 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) say they have developed a world-first nasal spray that delivers neurotherapeutic powder directly to the brain as first aid for ischemic stroke patients, with clinical trials expected by 2030. The treatment is intended for initial use by paramedics, before being rolled out to high-risk groups in care facilities and eventually the general public through pharmacies. It was developed by the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at HKU and the university’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352496/hong-kong-researchers-develop-world-first-nasal-spray-rapid-stroke-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352496/hong-kong-researchers-develop-world-first-nasal-spray-rapid-stroke-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 09:25:39 +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 Matthew Cheng,Fiona Chow,Kristen Cheung,Wynna Wong Matthew Cheng,Fiona Chow,Kristen Cheung,Wynna Wong Hong Kong has recorded more than 242,000 trips by mainland Chinese visitors on the first day of their Labour Day “golden week” break, with many heading to the countryside for scenic views and others opting for “city walks” to explore picturesque locales. Some early arrivals headed straight to the countryside after getting off at the West Kowloon rail terminus on Friday morning. University student Chen Hongjie, 18, was all geared up to hike the MacLehose Trail on his first day in the city after a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352119/golden-week-opens-76056-mainland-visitors-flooding-hong-kong-hikes-city-walks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352119/golden-week-opens-76056-mainland-visitors-flooding-hong-kong-hikes-city-walks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 05:40:53 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Two victims of the Wang Fuk Court inferno dug through the ashes of their homes, only to each discover about HK$100,000 (US$12,800) in charred banknotes, just two of many such finds as residents returned to the fire-damaged Hong Kong estate on Thursday. On the same day, several local storage companies offered free services to affected residents as a show of compassion and solidarity. Thursday marked the second day that residents of Wang Tai House, one of the seven blocks severely damaged in last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352050/wang-fuk-court-resident-finds-charred-hk100000-inheritance-after-opening-safe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3352050/wang-fuk-court-resident-finds-charred-hk100000-inheritance-after-opening-safe?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:06:20 +0000 Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Oscar Liu Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Oscar Liu Residents of two blocks, including one of the worst hit, returned to their fire-ravaged homes at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court on Wednesday hoping to collect belongings, with some vowing to begin a new journey after bidding a final farewell to their flats. While some looked towards a fresh start, others grappled with the loss of cherished belongings and the condition of their homes. Two sisters surnamed Cheung said they only managed to pack photos as their flat on a lower floor of Wang Tai House,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351802/government-vows-action-landlord-tenant-rows-block-access-wang-fuk-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351802/government-vows-action-landlord-tenant-rows-block-access-wang-fuk-court?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:38:50 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung An entertainment company and an arts curator have unveiled a life-size statue of late kung fu legend Bruce Lee at his childhood home in Hong Kong to mark the 85th anniversary of his arrival in the city. Organisers hmvod and curator Heiman Ng said the statue, unveiled on Monday, had been permanently installed at the Prudential Centre on Nathan Road in Jordan. The building is on the site of a now-demolished residential block where the Lee family lived on their return to Hong Kong in 1941, not long... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351574/hong-kong-marks-85th-anniversary-bruce-lees-arrival-statue-and-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351574/hong-kong-marks-85th-anniversary-bruce-lees-arrival-statue-and-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:46:57 +0000 Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Theodora Yu Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Theodora Yu Playing one last song on a piano that cannot be retrieved from a fire-ravaged home was among the wishes of residents returning to the scene of the deadly Tai Po blaze in Hong Kong, with one man climbing stairs on a fractured leg to try and recover a water boiler linked to his childhood memories. Some of those returning to their homes on Friday had lived in Wang Cheong House, where 81 of the 168 deaths occurred, and 63 per cent of the flats were destroyed. Only five floors of the block are being... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351271/final-piano-tune-offers-closure-residents-say-goodbye-wang-fuk-court-homes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351271/final-piano-tune-offers-closure-residents-say-goodbye-wang-fuk-court-homes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:24:27 +0000 Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Edith Lin Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung,Edith Lin Emotional residents returned to the most severely damaged block of Hong Kong’s fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court on Thursday, holding back tears as they recounted harrowing escapes and called for more time to revisit their homes. Some survivors managed to retrieve precious belongings from two reopened blocks on Thursday, including a framed wedding photo and cats’ ashes, as about 600 families from the ill-fated estate requested second visits to their flats. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351067/600-families-seek-second-visit-residents-return-worst-hit-wang-fuk-court-tower?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351067/600-families-seek-second-visit-residents-return-worst-hit-wang-fuk-court-tower?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 02:07:50 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung Hong Kong residents, from housewives to stay-at-home mothers and couples, have rushed to theatres to secure HK$30 (US$4) tickets for Cinema Day, with many calling for even more discounts and family-friendly perks on other occasions. Before sales opened at noon on Wednesday, some customers started queuing up from as early as 10.30am at Star Cinema in Tseung Kwan O to get discounted tickets for screenings this Saturday. A housewife surnamed Ho was the first in line and hoped to get discounted... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350982/hong-kong-residents-flock-theatres-buy-advanced-hk30-cinema-day-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350982/hong-kong-residents-flock-theatres-buy-advanced-hk30-cinema-day-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:41:48 +0000 Jess Ma,Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung Jess Ma,Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung More residents have returned to their fire-ravaged homes on the second day of pickup sessions at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court to search for memorabilia. Severe damage to flats in the Tai Po housing estate distressed some residents while a woman expressed relief after finding items belonging to her father who had suffered a mental illness from the trauma of last November’s deadly blaze. Those who lived on the middle floors of the estate’s Wang Sun House began returning home on Tuesday, with... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350818/residents-thank-life-saving-neighbours-use-robots-search-charred-wang-fuk-court-flats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3350818/residents-thank-life-saving-neighbours-use-robots-search-charred-wang-fuk-court-flats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:16:09 +0000