Hong Kong travellers in Japan were reported safe by at least one major tour operator while the Immigration Department said it was closely monitoring the situation after a powerful earthquake struck off the country’s northeast coast on Monday, triggering tsunami warnings. Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said the operator currently had about…
MANILA, April 20 (Reuters) – Philippine and U.S. forces will carry out maritime strike drills on a remote Philippine island near Taiwan during annual exercises that started on Monday, which Manila’s military chief said would test their readiness under “real‑world conditions”. The April 20 to May 8 exercises known as “Balikatan”, or “shoulder-to-shoulder”, will be…
Hong Kong-headquartered Toys ‘R’ Us Asia has pivoted to an experience-focused format and smaller stores in the city following an expansion programme that sought to increase its outlets as it navigates the changing retail landscape. The group planned to close the year with 20 stores in Hong Kong, representing a 40 per cent rise from…
NEW ZEALAND A spry 101-year-old was named the world’s oldest competitive croquet player. Neville Sandiford earned the Guinness World Record title when he played in an 80+ Golf Croquet tournament in Paraparaumu, Wellington. The centenarian took up the sport at age 79 at his late wife’s suggestion. “[She] read an advertisement in the newspaper that the…
DUBAI, April 17 (Reuters) – Significant differences between Iran and the United States remain to reach a deal aimed at ending the war, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday, adding that keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is “conditional on U.S. adherence to the terms of ceasefire”. The official, who spoke on condition…
Earlier this week I stumbled on a fascinating piece of research led by geography professor Becky Loo at the University of Hong Kong and soon to be published in the Nature Cities journal. Fascinating not just because of its scale – an analysis of 200,000 household travel surveys covering Boston, Chicago, London, Sao Paulo and…
WASHINGTON, April 17 (Reuters) – The U.S. is urging G20 members and the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to take coordinated action to ensure fertilizer access amid disruptions in food trade supply chains caused by the war in the Middle East, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott…
A man snatched two Pokemon trading cards valued at about HK$28,000 (US$3,600) from a consignment shop in Hong Kong. The tenant of the shop at Sino Centre in Mong Kok reported the theft on Wednesday after reviewing security footage and discovering the man had taken the cards on April 5 before fleeing the scene. Police…
A nine-year-old Hong Kong girl has contracted a rare bacterial infection and is fighting for her life in hospital after visiting Japan during the Easter holiday, with health authorities contacting the other tour group members as a precaution. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Friday that the girl, who was in a critical…
Two concerts by Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK have been cancelled in Hong Kong due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK. Photo: ONE OK ROCK. The cancellation comes as Japanese artists find their events axed across China amid diplomatic tensions, yet coincides with the local government’s push to sell Hong Kong…