A planned marine park in waters surrounding Sharp Island in Sai Kung will cover most coral reefs, Hong Kong authorities have said, allaying a green group’s concerns about insufficient protection of ecologically sensitive areas. Janet Lee Ka-wai, senior marine conservation officer at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, also said on Wednesday that underwater mapping…
Weeks before mainland Chinese student Carol Chen graduated from Baptist University in Hong Kong in July, the 22-year-old did the math and weighed the cost of living in the city against returning home. Renting a room in the city would consume around half of the HK$20,000 (US$2,552) starting salary she expected as a junior data…
Hongkong Post’s worsening financial situation may require not only an injection of funds but also a return to being a government-funded department providing basic public services, observers have said. The analysts’ views follow the authorities’ plan to inject HK$4.6 billion (US$587 million) as a lifeline to support Hongkong Post’s operations over the next three years,…
In a bustling Hong Kong commercial district, some internet cafes are shifting beyond serving as gaming hubs for young people looking to spend a few hours hunched over a computer playing video games. Inside one such venue in Mong Kok, gamers can rent one of two private booths for about HK$200 (US$25.50) a night. With…
Hong Kong industry leaders have called for priority hiring of local graduates and greater participation in overseas exchange programmes to address a shrinking job market, after full-time graduate vacancies plunged to about 31,000 last year. Their remarks were made on Thursday after the city’s labour minister revealed that vacancies suitable for university graduates fell from…
For the first time, all eight Hong Kong public universities have been ranked among the top 100 in a widely watched Asian league table, with the city’s two oldest tertiary institutions ranking among the region’s top 10. Phil Baty, chief global affairs officer of Times Higher Education (THE), also highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a…
Hong Kong bus company boss Martin Lau feels overwhelmed as he attempts every option possible to minimise mounting losses wrought by runaway fuel prices. He has done everything he can think of, from trying to reduce services to doing his own repairs on his fleet of more than 20 coaches. Lau, managing director of ABC…
A world-class fencing hall and stand-alone swimming complex will be built in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis megaproject, authorities have revealed, in a move that experts said must be accompanied by good transport and support services for elite athletes. Sports industry experts raised their suggestions on Tuesday after the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) updated…
Hongkongers may begin to feel the impact of the escalating war in the Middle East in the coming months, as rising global oil prices are expected to push up energy bills and dining costs, according to experts. Analysts said the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel, and subsequent retaliation across the region,…
A combination of a strong initial public offering (IPO) market and bond sales has helped put Hong Kong’s financial health back in the black sooner than expected, with analysts expecting a robust pipeline of listings to be key to sustaining the city’s surplus. In his budget speech on Wednesday, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said…