An annual Reuters Institute report on the global news industry has said that Hong Kong journalists are facing “a widening range of intimidation, including tax investigations,” amid a deepening financial crisis among local media outlets. The 2026 Digital News Report said that journalists in the city are “treading carefully to avoid crossing vaguely defined legal […]

The Hong Kong government will make it easier for owners of subsidised flats to lease their properties in September by waiving the land premium requirement. The Housing Authority said in a statement on Thursday that it had approved a scheme allowing owners of subsidised sale flats to rent out their units without paying a land […]

Taiwan has accused Kenya of bowing to “Chinese pressure” by preventing its officials from taking part in an international oceans forum this week. China claims self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and opposes the democratic island’s participation in international organisations and exchanges with other countries. The minister of Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, Kuan Bi-ling, […]

The Hong Kong government has awarded more than HK$1.4 billion to parents with newborns since it implemented a cash handout scheme three years ago. Although it was aimed at boosting the city’s birth rate, there was a record-low number of births last year. Welfare minister Chris Sun, in a written reply to lawmaker Roy Chu, […]

Complaints of suspected corruption in major renovation projects surged by 150 per cent in the first four months of 2026 following the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire, Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog has said. At a press conference on Tuesday, four advisory committees overseeing the work of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) reported the latest […]

Hong Kong’s Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body (AMCB) has urged the government to ensure a living wage, standardised working hours, better living conditions and the abolition of live-in arrangements for the city’s foreign domestic workers. With Wednesday marking International Domestic Workers Day, the NGO also called for a scrapping of the two-week rule, which forces domestic […]

China said on Monday that strengthening its military is beneficial to world peace, slamming a think tank report that warned the threat of a direct strike by Beijing on Australia was increasing. A Lowy Institute report said on Sunday that China is capable of a direct missile strike on Australia and the threat of such […]

The Hong Kong government has tightened the rules for the non-local labour scheme, targeting the food and beverage (F&B) sector, which has the highest number of imported workers in the city. Starting Tuesday, employers in the catering industry must observe a stricter staffing ratio of three local employees for every imported worker, the government said […]

Taiwan has launched a website for Chinese citizens to leak intelligence, inviting those “who share the same values of democracy” to collaborate on reporting on Beijing. China claims democratic Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to take it, while Taipei accuses Beijing of using espionage and infiltration to weaken […]

HSBC’s Hong Kong mobile apps were down on Monday, with the banking giant saying they are experiencing technical issues. Customers were initially shown an error message when opening banking apps stating that “access is restricted until we have your valid email address and mobile number.” By lunchtime, it was replaced with an message stating that […]

By Sringatin & MICROLAB MICROLAB Collective’s latest book, What We Carry, Under the Same Sky, features essays, poems, photographs and drawings by Indonesian migrant workers, reflecting on their life journeys from their home villages in Indonesia to Hong Kong. This collaborative effort involved not only migrant workers but also academics who helped sharpen their writing, […]

The leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party said Friday she hopes to maintain engagement with the United States on the island’s defense capabilities, speaking on a two-week US visit aimed at growing trust with Washington. Addressing reporters in the US capital, Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun said the party has expressed support for Taiwan’s defense capabilities […]

The Hong Kong government has granted 1,000 restaurants the city’s first permits to allow dogs into their premises starting on July 9. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said on Friday that it “conducted an open balloting today and allocated 1,000 quotas for allowing dogs to enter food premises according to the ballot result.” […]

Foreign spies are fitting turtles and fish with sensors to create underwater maps of China’s coastline, Beijing warned Friday in apparent reference to its Western competitors. In a social media post ominously titled “Under the deep blue, undercurrents are surging”, the Ministry of State Security said international spy agencies are using “new types of espionage […]

A viral stress-relief “Natasha” doll trending on Chinese social media has been deemed “absolutely diabolical” by members of Hong Kong’s Black community. Resembling a small child, the most popular version is dark-skinned and features exaggerated racial characteristics. Buyers have filmed themselves beating, stretching, boiling and stomping on the toy. “No design is created, marketed, and […]

By Montira Rungjirajittranon Two Chinese Uyghur men were sentenced to death Thursday for carrying out a 2015 attack on a Bangkok shrine that killed 20 people, a long-awaited verdict in Thailand’s deadliest bombing case. A Bangkok court convicted Yusufu Mieraili and Bilal Mohammed of premeditated and attempted murder for their role in planting a bomb […]

US authorities on Wednesday seized 13 internet domains they suspect were used by Chinese agents to obtain classified information from Americans with security clearances. Last week, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance — composed of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand — issued a rare warning that Chinese military intelligence services […]

Seven people and two firms that oversaw renovation works at Wang Fuk Court, the site of the city’s deadliest fire in decades, have been charged with manslaughter and a slew of other offences. Three directors and employees at the two companies were among those formally charged by police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) […]

The leaders of North Korea and China adopted a “far-reaching blueprint” for bilateral ties during Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Pyongyang, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Wednesday. China’s president made a rare visit to diplomatically isolated North Korea on Monday after hosting a series of world leaders, including US President Donald […]

Hong Kong’s top decision-making body has proposed a flat 2 per cent pay rise for civil servants across all salary bands this year, lower than the suggested rates for middle-tier and senior government staff. Secretary for Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said on Tuesday that the chief executive and the Executive Council (ExCo) made the offer, […]

A British court on Thursday jailed two dual Chinese-British nationals after they were convicted of spying on Hong Kong dissidents in the UK on behalf of China. Former UK Border Force official Peter Wai, 40, was jailed for 10 years and retired Hong Kong policeman Bill Yuen, 65, was given an eight-year term for conducting […]

For the first time, four Hong Kong universities have been placed among the top 50 in the latest global rankings, with two in the top 20. The 2027 World University Rankings, released by UK-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) on Thursday, also showed that five Hong Kong institutions remained among the world’s top 100. In the 2026 […]

An asteroid discovered by a Hong Kong-born astronomer has been named after a firefighter who died battling an inferno at a housing complex in the financial hub that killed 168 people last year. Ho Wai-ho, 37, died in the line of duty as the blaze engulfed several tower blocks at Wang Fuk Court in northern […]

China’s top diplomat told his Pakistani counterpart on Tuesday that the next phase of negotiations between the United States and Iran — which Pakistan has helped mediate — will be “more difficult”. In a phone conversation ahead of the planned signing on Friday of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding to end their war, Chinese Foreign […]

Hong Kong’s top court has rejected an appeal by a former student leader against a law which criminalises calls to boycott local elections by casting a blank vote. Five Court of Final Appeal judges on Wednesday unanimously dismissed the appeal by So Tsun-fung, a former head of the now-disbanded student union of the Chinese University […]

A Hong Kong court has granted HK$6.29 million in compensation to a dancer who suffered “catastrophic” disabilities and permanent, total incapacity after he was hit by a giant falling screen during a concert by the popular boy band Mirror nearly four years ago. In a written judgement on Monday, District Judge Phillis Loh ordered Studiodanz […]

A sample collected at Sha Tin’s Wo Che Market has tested positive for H9 avian flu after a two-year-old boy, who visited the wet market twice, contracted the virus. Hong Kong’s health authority said at a press conference on Monday that they were following the toddler’s infection. The boy was diagnosed with the H9N2 bird […]

Myanmar’s coup-commander turned President Min Aung Hlaing touched down in China on Monday for talks with Xi Jinping, his first visit since taking over as civilian leader after Beijing-backed elections rejected by democracy monitors. Min Aung Hlaing is hoping to expand trade and security ties with China, a rare enduring partner for Myanmar after his […]

Vulnerable Hongkongers are being urged by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) to get their Covid-19 jabs before current stocks expire. The renewed call comes after the government confirmed two severe paediatric cases of Covid-19 infection, involving a one-year-old boy and a 19-month-old boy. The CHP said last week that the two children were in […]

The Hong Kong government and legislature have blasted The Washington Post over “groundless allegations” against the city’s new national security amendments. According to a statement issued late Saturday night, the government ​”strongly condemns the wanton slander and groundless allegations made by The Washington Post in its article entitled ‘Hong Kong’s nightmare gets darker’, criticising the […]

Hong Kong scholar Joseph Li has had to rethink the design of his courses almost every semester over the past few years, as powerful AI chatbots disrupt how teachers teach and students learn. His discipline – an emerging academic field called “public humanities,” which integrates cultural theories with a focus on community-building – is novel […]

By Emily Wang Beijing cleaner Lin Meiqiong found her work a little easier the day she was paired with an unlikely new colleague — a tall, wheeled robot with AI-powered tidying skills. The 56-year-old and her white-and-silver partner, fitted with cameras and two mechanical claws, are part of a new human-robot cleaning service offered by […]

A 63-year-old Ocean Park mechanical technician died after collapsing at work on Friday. Police told HKFP that they received a report at 9:08am after the man, surnamed Luk, was found unconscious outside a staff restroom before starting his duties. Paramedics discovered him with serious head and shoulder injuries. He was certified dead at 10:33am at […]

Hong Kong police have arrested 16 people for allegedly using bogus medical certificates to fraudulently withdraw over HK$4.3 million from their retirement savings funds. Police said on Thursday that a syndicate had forged medical certificates to allow claimants to falsely claim they were totally incapacitated or suffered from a terminal illness to withdraw their Mandatory […]

Two Hong Kong officials have condemned “groundless accusations” against a recent update to the city’s homegrown national security law, which empowers the chief executive to certify any criminal case as a national security offence. Secretary for Security Chris Tang told the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Thursday afternoon that he noticed some people had misunderstood or […]

Allowing vehicles from Guangdong province to enter Hong Kong’s South Lantau must be approached with “caution,” Hong Kong’s transport chief has told lawmakers. At a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said that authorities would have to consult local residents and the district council, citing recent cases of vehicles […]

A deadly blaze engulfed seven residential towers at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on November 26, 2025, killing 168 people. The names the victims were released on June 10, 2026 by the judiciary, and are listed below as they appeared in a court document.

A Hong Kong court has convicted a former law student of rioting during the 2019 protests and unrest after the government successfully appealed against her acquittal, leading to a retrial. Alice Tong, 26, was found guilty of rioting on Tuesday, nearly seven years after she was arrested in Wan Chai on August 31, 2019, according […]

The Hong Kong government has announced a series of special offers and freebies covering transport, culture, retail and dining as part of the celebrations to mark the 29th anniversary of the Handover. During Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day on July 1, residents can enjoy free rides on all trams, whilst the MTR will […]

A Hong Kong basketball coach has been released on bail after he was arrested for allegedly slapping a student on a school court, an incident captured in a viral online video. Yung Kam-wah was released early Tuesday morning, TVB reported. The 54-year-old was arrested on Monday on suspicion of common assault after an online video […]

Hong Kong leader John Lee has said that China’s top official Xia Baolong concluded his two-day visit by giving “affirmations” and “recognitions” to the local government. Lee spoke to local media on Wednesday afternoon after seeing Xia, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, at the Shenzhen Bay border checkpoint. Xia was spotted […]

The revamped Huanggang border checkpoint, which will adopt a “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” model, is set to reopen when local legislation and Beijing’s approval are finalised, Hong Kong’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee told the press on Wednesday that the government is seeking to reboot the Huanggang Port “as early as possible” […]

Beijing’s top official on Hong Kong affairs spent a night over the border in Shenzhen during his two-day inspection tour of Hong Kong this week. HK01 and Sing Tao Daily reported on Wednesday that Xia Baolong, who arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday, did not stay in the city that night but returned through the […]

Chinese authorities are holding two leaders of a prominent Protestant church in detention after police raided a service over the weekend, a rights group told AFP Tuesday, the latest incident in a crackdown on unofficial Christian organisations. Early Rain Covenant Church, based in southwestern Sichuan province, is one of China’s unregistered “house” or “underground” churches […]

Beijing’s top official on Hong Kong affairs has visited a temporary housing project and a community centre in the New Territories during his first day of inspections, housing chief Winnie Ho has said. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office, inspected the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area Community Liaison […]

China denounced on Tuesday European Union claims that Beijing had trained Russian troops sent to Ukraine as “pure slander”, after the bloc’s top diplomat became the latest to raise the issue. China has presented itself as a neutral party since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, although Kyiv’s allies have long accused Beijing of secretly helping its […]

The Hong Kong government has appointed a former top police officer to head the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. The government said in a Monday statement that Albert Yuen, who served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) from 2021 to 2023, was “identified as the most suitable candidate.” His appointment took effect on Tuesday. Yuen […]

Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has urged claw machine operators to exercise greater transparency amid a surge in complaints over the past two years. The Consumer Council said on Monday that the number of complaints related to claw machines had surged nearly nine times over two years, from 16 cases in 2023 to 138 in 2025. […]

China’s top official on Hong Kong affairs will visit the city this week to check its alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the progress of a tech hub development in the New Territories. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office, will be in the city on Tuesday and Wednesday […]

A senior European Union official said Friday that China had trained Russian troops who ended up fighting in Ukraine, backing up media reports that cited European intelligence agencies. “The Chinese training of Russian soldiers has been confirmed by our services,” the high-ranking EU official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official said the training […]

By Daniel Lawler The world’s largest whale graveyard has been discovered at the bottom of the Indian Ocean by Chinese scientists, who found that the vast expanse of both new and ancient carcasses supports huge communities of deep-sea life. It is also the deepest and oldest known whale graveyard on Earth, according to research published […]

Hong Kong’s welfare minister has defended what he called the “professional judgement” of medical and social workers following the death of a girl shortly after her mother’s. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun spoke to reporters on Thursday following a double tragedy involving a 12-year-old girl and her 48-year-old mother, who both fell to […]

China said Friday it was holding an American citizen accused of espionage, identifying the man as a political analyst at a policy think tank focusing on neighbouring Myanmar. Min Zin — a founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar (ISP-M) — “has been subjected to criminal compulsory measures”, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin […]

The Philippines defence minister was defiant on Friday after Beijing sanctioned him for what it termed “irresponsible remarks” as the two nations grapple over the disputed South China Sea. Gilberto Teodoro as well as his spouse and child will be banned from entering China’s mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, an unnamed foreign ministry spokesperson said […]

Hong Kong Customs has arrested six men and seized suspected counterfeit football products worth HK$156 million ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, including “highly authentic-looking” player-edition jerseys. Around 230,000 suspected fake items were seized in an operation codenamed “Clean Sheet,” which ran from May 26 to Wednesday, authorities said on Thursday – hours before […]

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has suspended a trainee doctor and a resident physician after their alleged professional misconduct went viral on social media. In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the HA said that it had noticed some social media posts discussing an intern doctor’s alleged professional misconduct at different hospitals. “The HA considers the […]

Two friends who restore classic buses in Hong Kong are being forced to abandon their HK$1 million plans to resurrect a vintage double-decker. Terrence, along with his blacksmith friend Chung, who works in the automotive industry, had hoped to restore an antique ⁠China Motor Bus Company (CMB) vehicle at their facility in the New Territories’ […]

China warned the European Union on Wednesday against sanctioning its companies, after Brussels proposed a fresh wave of measures over Beijing’s support for Russia in its war with Ukraine. The EU’s latest round of sanctions since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine seeks, among other aims, to complicate commercial activities by companies in third countries that allegedly support […]

A Hong Kong man who threw anti-government leaflets from his public housing flat has been sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to committing seditious acts. Raymond Wong appeared at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to receive a 10-month jail sentence handed down by Chief Magistrate Victor So for two counts […]

By Kang Jin-kyu and Claire Lee President Xi Jinping concluded a visit to North Korea on Tuesday, after meetings with Kim Jong Un that the Chinese leader said reached an “important consensus” on building ties. AFP looks at what we know about the rare summit. What happened? Xi arrived in the North Korean capital Pyongyang […]