This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. An independent committee investigating Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po blaze holds its 21st day of evidential hearings on Thursday, with three witnesses from the Urban Renewal Authority set to give evidence. The tragedy at…
Tour groups from Hong Kong to mainland China are expected to rise by up to 40 per cent year on year over the Labour Day weekend, with travel agents citing improved safety and hygiene as key factors attracting visitors. The agents also said that slight increases in fuel surcharges for flights to Asian destinations were…
Almost everyone has heard of OpenClaw, the late-2025 agentic AI release which takes artificial intelligence technology one step further. Rather than leaving the user to turn answers given in a dialogue box into real life action, the latest AI iteration promises to take the final leap of executing tasks autonomously. Users have raved about the…
Where exactly does the buck stop? Senior Hong Kong civil servants are asking themselves that question after the unveiling of a new accountability system targeting department heads. They point to the deadly Tai Po fire last year as an example. An independent committee investigating the tragedy heard evidence officials gave contractors at the blaze-hit Wang…
Hong Kong’s monetary authority has held its base interest rate steady, following the lead of the US Federal Reserve, as analysts said the inflationary impact of the US-Israel war with Iran had reduced the chances of a rate cut this year. The city’s base rate would stay at 4 per cent, the Hong Kong Monetary…
Hong Kong has one of the world’s most dynamic, most luxurious hotel scenes. After all, it was the birthplace of Peninsula and Mandarin Oriental. But even with that prestigious pedigree, there’s room for new blood. Rosewood Hong Kong, which has become the brand’s flagship, proves the point, managing to blend classic high-touch luxury with a…
Hong Kong authorities have failed to meet targets on the supply and construction of youth hostels, with the number of flats offered accounting for only 44 per cent of what was intended, an audit report has found. The Audit Commission on Wednesday released its report reviewing the government’s development and management of the facilities under…
The Hong Kong Observatory should step up efforts to explain decisions for issuing typhoon warnings to address public concerns amid a rise in extreme weather events, the Audit Commission has urged. Citing the forecaster, a report issued by the public sector watchdog on Wednesday noted “increasing public demand” for signal change notification well in advance…
HONG KONG – April 29, 2026 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) – The Census and Statistics Department today released the latest external merchandise trade statistics. In March 2026, the total value of Hong Kong’s merchandise exports recorded a year-on-year increase of 35.8% to HK$618.4 billion. For the first quarter of 2026, the total value of exports of goods amounted…
The walking, talking, “living” Olaf animatronic has arrived at World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland. The Hong Kong Disneyland Ambassadors shared a video of the snowman greeting cast members in the land. Olaf at Hong Kong Disneyland Disney previously announced Olaf would start making appearances in early May. The Olaf animatronic will eventually visit Disneyland…