More than 600 defaulters aged 60 and above have failed to repay their student loans under five government financial assistance schemes designed to fund their tertiary and post-secondary studies, with the average amount owed standing at HK$17,400 (US$2,220). In a reply to questions from lawmakers on Wednesday, the Education Bureau said it had recorded 9,838…
Japanese rock band One OK Rock has abruptly cancelled the Hong Kong leg of its Asian tour in early May due to “unforeseen circumstances”, leaving local fans disappointed. The announcement on Thursday followed a similar move in early March, when the band cancelled its May 9 concert in Shanghai. Led by frontman Taka, the band,…
Hongkongers are more willing to discuss death including their own funeral wishes in the wake of the Covid pandemic, mass emigration and the deadly Tai Po fire, amid a rapidly ageing population, a death education advocate says. Pasu Ng Kwai-lun, founder of Minimal Funeral and a practitioner of “life-and-death education”, said attitudes had changed and…
Hong Kong businessman Jason Poon Cheuk-hung, his wife and four others have been arrested on suspicion of defrauding an enterprise financing scheme out of HK$6 million (US$765,500) during the Covid-19 pandemic, the South China Morning Post has learned. A source confirmed to the SCMP on Thursday that construction businessman Poon, 56, and his 54-year-old wife…
Hong Kong’s jobless rate dipped by 0.1 percentage point over the past three months to 3.8 per cent, with unemployment dropping in the retail, accommodation, and foundation and superstructure sectors. “The sustained growth momentum of the Hong Kong economy should continue to support the overall labour market, though employment situations in some local sectors may…
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways plans to hire 3,000 employees globally this year, including pilots and flight attendants, to support its growth plan, with the airline expressing strong confidence in its future expansion potential. The carrier launched its global recruitment drive in Beijing on Saturday as part of efforts to attract more talent…
HSBC Holdings is phasing out its remote-work flexibility as it tightens its post-pandemic policy in Hong Kong, requiring frontline employees to be in the office or meet clients five days a week. In an internal memo seen by the South China Morning Post, the city’s largest bank asked client-facing staff, including traders and salespeople, to…
Hong Kong could see another cinema shut down in a prime retail district after the management of IFC Mall began informally sounding out potential tenants for the roughly 20,000 sq ft (1,858 square metres) occupied by Palace IFC, whose lease expires at the end of the year, according to people familiar with the matter. Sun…
Hong Kong’s retail banks posted 7.3 per cent pre-tax profit growth last year, as rising bad debts and a narrower net interest margin offset growing income from wealth-management services. The city’s 30 retail banks recorded lower growth in aggregated pre-tax profit than in 2024, when profits increased 8.4 per cent, according to data from the…
Hollywood stars Mads Mikkelsen, Giancarlo Esposito and Christopher Lloyd will headline Hong Kong’s first “comic con” this May, the organisers have said, as the city joins major destinations worldwide by hosting its own take on these popular fan conventions celebrating pop culture. Hong Kong Comic Con 2026 will be held from May 29 to 31…