World News by Wild Rose

About 16,000 Hong Kong residents have signed up for a joint exam to drive taxis or ride-hailing cars, the transport chief has said. Speaking on a radio programme on Saturday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said the allocation arrangement for the 10,000 ride-hailing vehicle permits would be announced in November, with the government considering increasing the odds for certain drivers in the lottery draw. “We are pleased to see the enthusiastic response to the joint examination....

Private recreation leases have a long and contentious history in Hong Kong. Complaints about the inequity of granting land leases to private clubs at a nominal premium for the exclusive enjoyment of a small number of members have been raised many times. This issue is increasingly pressing. Twenty-seven sites are involved and almost all the leases for these sites are set for renewal next year. In response to this perceived inequality, the government reviewed its policy for clubs with private...

The number of private secondary schools in Hong Kong has risen by more than half in five years as demand for alternative curricula grows and new operators seek to attract families drawn by the city’s highly ranked universities, education authorities and principals have said. Between 2021-22 and 2025-26, the number of private secondary institutions increased from 16 to 25, a jump of 56.3 per cent, Education Bureau figures show. Leaders at schools offering alternative curriculum pathways said that...

One of Hong Kong’s last traditional sauce makers is to cease operations, ending its 90-year legacy, after authorities cleared land at its Kwu Tung factory on Friday. Established in 1936, Kui Lee Sauce and Preserved Fruit confirmed to the South China Morning Post that it would close down once its remaining inventory at its shop in Wan Chai was sold. “Our factory in Kwu Tung has halted production, and all remaining stock is at our retail shop. We will close permanently after selling through all...

Two women have been arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of child abuse after an 11-year-old girl posted videos on social media in a plea for help, capturing moments of emotional distress inside her home. Police arrested a 61-year-old local woman and a 43-year-old foreign woman in Wong Tai Sin on Friday on suspicion of ill-treatment or neglect by those in charge of a child or young person. The girl, found with red and swollen limbs, was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei in a conscious...

The Fire Services Department will bear “ultimate responsibility” for following up on fire safety complaints across Hong Kong, the security chief has said, pledging legal reforms after the deadly Tai Po blaze, as an independent committee’s report is expected to identify the department as among those responsible. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung made the pledge a day after the judge-led committee submitted its final report to the government. Sources said the report would identify...

Beijing has slammed “irresponsible remarks” by Britain after a UK report said Hong Kong’s national security law had further diminished the openness that underpinned the city’s success. In the United Kingdom’s latest six-month monitoring report on Hong Kong, released on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said he was “deeply concerned and disturbed” by the continued imprisonment of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who was jailed for 20 years over national security offences. “We continue...

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Why Children Need More Than Screens to Master the Future Hong Kong is moving decisively into the age of artificial intelligence in education. The government has committed significant funding to digital education, supporting schools in purchasing AI tools, digital resources and related training. The message from policymakers is clear: our children must learn to master technology. They are right. But true mastery requires...

Hong Kong workers received smaller pay rises this year as Guangdong’s wage growth picked up, with the starting salaries of university graduates edging closer to those of non-degree holders, an annual survey has found. Hong Kong Baptist University released the findings of its 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Pay and Benefits Survey on Thursday. It showed that companies in Hong Kong and Macau slowed pay rises this year. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage...

Hong Kong and Singapore are locked in a fight for Asia’s billionaires and fund managers. Now, with an IPO boom and Mainland China’s backing, Hong Kong is making a move with tax exemptions on carried interest. (Source: Bloomberg)

Hong Kong’s leader pledged to showcase the city’s financial strengths to the world as it hosts the two-day Apec Finance Ministers’ Meeting for the first time. Observers said the event, which began on Tuesday and runs until Wednesday, would also help dispel foreign misunderstandings about Hong Kong’s economy and development, while drawing business leaders from around the world. Speaking at a summit on Greater Bay Area development, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu expressed gratitude for the...

Jeny Yeung, CEO at MTR, discusses the opportunities she sees for the railway operator as it expands into Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis. She speaks exclusively on "Bloomberg: The China Show." (Source: Bloomberg)

An elderly man was pulled unconscious from a flat after a fire broke out in a residential building in Hong Kong’s Western district on Monday night, with about 60 residents evacuating the premises. Police received a report at 8.57pm that flames had erupted in a flat in Hang Fai Building on Pok Fu Lam Road in Sai Ying Pun. Firefighters deployed a water jet and a breathing apparatus team to tackle the fire, which was extinguished at 9.54pm. A man in his 70s was found unconscious and was rushed to...

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after allegedly throwing a dog into the sea in Hong Kong. The incident occurred at about 1pm on Thursday, when the woman was reportedly seen throwing a dog from the waterfront near 29 Tai On Street in Sai Wan Ho into the water. She then retrieved the animal and left the scene. A passer-by who witnessed the incident alerted police. Following an investigation, officers arrested a 59-year-old local woman on Saturday near the junction of Tai...

Giant pandas, open-top bus rides, a Chinese cooking class, traditional opera, a harbour cruise, the Big Buddha, and The Peak are among the highlights of a packed social programme for VIPs attending this week’s meeting of Apec finance ministers in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post has learned. According to official itineraries obtained by the SCMP, about 500 delegates and guests from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum’s 21 member economies have been offered a range of activities...

Hong Kong tourism authorities have pledged to review the roll-out of a lighting project along a trail on The Peak after mounting complaints that flowers and trees were chopped down to make way for the installations. But the Tourism Board defended the project, saying it had consulted local residents and sought advice from tree experts to minimise the impact on the surrounding environment. In a statement on Sunday, the board said it valued residents’ views and would now “conduct broader...

Hong Kong social worker Mark Cheung Kai-yuen is working to make dental care more accessible for cancer survivors, people with disabilities and children with special needs who often struggle to find suitable clinics. Through Smile Again, the social enterprise he co-founded with dentist Dr Ho Kwun-yin, Cheung has adapted both the facility and the way care is delivered, with wheelchair-friendly facilities, longer consultations and tailored communication approaches. Cheung is a finalist for the...

Slain Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung’s partner has told a court she initially misled him about her former in-laws’ wealth before describing them as horrible and ungrateful after a bitter family dispute. Chris Tam Fong-chun’s testimony also shed light on his complex relationship with Choi and his former classmate Alex Kwong Kong-chi. The three remained connected through their four children, as Choi had two with each man. During the third week of Choi’s murder trial, Tam told the High...

New World Development Co. is in preliminary discussions with some banks to extend an about HK$88 billion ($11.2 billion) loan by two years, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that could pave the way for a capital injection for the cash-strapped Hong Kong builder.

For nearly five decades, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra has worked to bring its music to a wider audience, including people who might never have considered entering a concert hall. Executive director Celina Chin Man-wah said the orchestra had long sought to ensure Chinese music was not seen as distant, formal or difficult to understand. That has meant commissioning new works, exploring different musical styles and developing programmes for younger audiences. “We cannot rely on the old...

Download the PDF This is the fourth in a series of factsheets about Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and 2026 policy address. Part I – Hong Kong’s new chapter Part II – The story begins ... Part III – Sharpening Hong Kong’s edge Part IV – Tapping into tech and talent The series has been produced with support from the Hong Kong SAR government. To see the South China Morning Post’s coverage of the five-year plan, click here. This Factsheet will appear in the SCMP print edition on October...

Download the PDF This is the third in a series of Factsheets on Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and 2026 policy address. Part I – Hong Kong’s new chapter Part II – The story begins ... Part III – Sharpening Hong Kong’s edge Part IV – Tapping into tech and talent The series has been produced with support from the Hong Kong SAR government. To see the South China Morning Post’s coverage of the five-year plan, click here. This Factsheet will appear in the SCMP print edition on October 20....

Hong Kong authorities have uncovered alleged corner-cutting and false declarations involving fire-safety components in a contractor’s replacement of 48 lifts at two public housing estates. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department said on Thursday that surprise inspections had found serious deficiencies in projects carried out by Taizoom Elevator (Hong Kong) at Tsui Ping (North) Estate in Kwun Tong and Pok Hong Estate in Sha Tin. It said 39 lifts replaced between May 2025 and July this...

Is Hong Kong its own country? No, it is a special administrative region of China, with its own laws, currency and 90-day visa-free entry for Americans. The post Is Hong Kong Its Own Country appeared first on The Rio Times.

The Hong Kong Pride Parade committee has cancelled an indoor event at Central Market next month after being told the venue is unavailable due to an “administrative error”. In a social media post on Thursday, the committee said its Rainbow Market, scheduled for November 14 at the revamped landmark, had been cancelled because the venue “could no longer host it”. The group said it approached Central Market, which is managed by Chinachem Group, in early June, confirmed the booking and paid a deposit...

Hong Kong police have arrested a suspect in less than 24 hours after he allegedly stole a gold necklace worth nearly HK$80,000 (US$10,193) from a Chow Sang Sang jewellery store in Tai Po, the South China Morning Post has learned. The suspect was tracked down in the same district on Thursday afternoon, but the stolen jewellery has not been recovered, a source said. The unemployed man, in his forties, entered the store on Kwong Fuk Road at about 3.10pm on Wednesday. The suspect, believed to be...

Inconvenience is one of the biggest obstacles to recycling, a challenge that prompted a Hongkonger to establish a one-stop recycling service. Jorch Wong Ching-hei left advertising in 2019 and started The Loops Hong Kong after finding that recycling different materials often required travelling to different collection points. With no prior background in the industry, he contacted recycling operators, visited plants and learned how paper, plastics and metals were processed. Wong also taught...

Participation in distressed Hong Kong developer New World Development Co.’s debt swap offer came in below its overall target by an early bird deadline for creditors this week.

Three Hong Kong taxi drivers have been disqualified from driving cabs for three months after accumulating 15 demerit points or more under a penalty system in place for two years, the transport chief has said, disclosing such figures for the first time. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Wednesday that since the mechanism took effect in September 2024, 229 taxi drivers had incurred demerit points as of October 2, with 125 cases involving a refusal to accept a hire. In a...

Complaints about noisy and inconsiderate passengers on Hong Kong’s public transport have more than doubled over three years, with authorities recording a surge in reports of people playing loud music and putting their feet on seats. The Transport Department and Environmental Protection Department received 66 complaints about noise nuisance and improper or unhygienic behaviour in 2025, up from 31 in 2023, according to figures released by the government on Wednesday. “[Passengers] should be...