About 90 per cent of flat owners at the fire-damaged Wang Fuk Court have returned signed letters accepting the government’s buy-back offer, but some residents have raised concerns about rushed decisions tied to priority selection. The Deputy Financial Secretary’s Office said on Friday that as of July 16, a total of 1,786 owners, or about…
FILE – The U.S. and Chinese flag at the Great Hall of the People prior to the state dinner of President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14, 2026, in Beijing. Mark Schiefelbein/AP hide caption toggle caption Mark Schiefelbein/AP HONG KONG — China signaled on Friday that the United States could restore…
Dog owners have welcomed Hong Kong’s first wave of pet-friendly restaurants, but some have been disappointed by restrictive rules, confused staff and limited space, with one saying only half of her pet stroller could fit inside the premises. After months of anticipation, the Food and Environment Hygiene Department granted an initial 1,000 permits by lottery…
HONG KONG (AP) — China signaled on Friday that the United States could restore Hong Kong ‘s preferential privileges, saying Washington confirmed it will not renew an executive order that revoked the city’s special trading status. The Commerce Ministry said that the U.S. made commitments on Hong Kong issues and other matters during the U.S.-China…
The legal team for an independent committee examining the cause of Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire has recommended that authorities gradually phase out bamboo scaffolding in favour of metal replacements, among other proposals ranging from legislative reform to measures to curb bid-rigging. The suggestions were outlined in 627 pages of closing submissions from the…
An administrative “honour system” that relied on Hong Kong’s private sector to regulate itself created oversight loopholes and left obvious fire hazards at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate unchecked before last year’s inferno, legal counsel for an independent committee investigating the disaster has said. In the final session of 30 days of public hearings,…
AUSTRALASIA by Christie Eliezer AUSTRALIA Tasmania Proposing 50% Tax Rebate For Struggling Music Venues The government of Tasmania is proposing a lifeline to struggling music venues with the Tasmanian Live Music Excise Rebate Pilot. It will provide participating venues with a rebate of 50% of their verified expenditure on live music. “We want to see…
Hong Kong police have arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of wounding for allegedly shoving a classmate who remains in a serious condition two weeks after the incident. The force said on Friday that the suspect was arrested on Monday after an in-depth investigation. The teenager was subsequently released on bail pending further investigation and…
Five Hong Kong booksellers arrested on suspicion of sedition have been released on bail two days after national security police raided a pair of independent bookshops where they worked. Police said the three women and two men, aged between 30 and 59, were released on Friday pending further investigation. A source earlier said the two…
The airline said on Friday that its daily passenger flights to Dubai would be postponed until October 25, while its four weekly services to Riyadh would be delayed to October 26. Earlier this month, the airline said it planned to resume passenger services to the two destinations on September 1, following signs of de-escalation under…