A Hong Kong professional rugby player has been acquitted of molesting a woman at a bar after a magistrate ruled the athlete had touched her buttocks by accident. But Faizal Solomona Penesa, 34, admitted a lesser offence of common assault and another charge of criminal damage, and was ordered by Magistrate Gary Chu Man-hon on…
Hong Kong authorities plan to invite ride-hailing platforms to apply for operator licences as early as next month and will begin approving them in batches from the end of November, the city’s transport minister has said. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan laid down the timeline on Thursday as lawmakers completed the negative vetting…
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will resume Middle East passenger flights in September, six months after suspending services due to the war. The airline said on Thursday it would progressively restore passenger and cargo operations, starting with freighter flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from August 1. Daily passenger flights to Dubai in the…
A five-year-old boy died after his mother physically abused, confined and starved him until he was a mere 9.7kg (21.38lbs) – half the normal weight for his age – a Hong Kong court has heard. The 38-year-old mother, only identified as “LST” at the High Court, on Monday pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter…
Hong Kong’s Housing Authority will roll out two schemes in September to promote more efficient use of subsidised homes by allowing owners to lease properties without paying a premium and encouraging elderly owners to swap properties for a smaller or remote flat. The two initiatives received the green light from the subsidised housing committee of…
Hong Kong schools have recorded net student rises for two consecutive years, with the current academic year seeing an increase of about 7,200 pupils, a surge that an industry leader has attributed to the influx of dependants of admitted talent. The Education Bureau published enrolment figures on its website on April 28. The data covers…
Hong Kong’s unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.7 per cent in the first quarter, marking a second consecutive decline across rolling three-month periods. The Census and Statistics Department said on Thursday the jobless rate stood at 3.7 per cent for January to March, down from 3.8 per cent in the preceding period…
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has promised to allow more children from low-income families to enjoy after-school care on campus by further expanding a government scheme following positive feedback from participants. Social workers and educators welcomed the initiative on Saturday, proposing the government widen the scheme’s coverage to include more pupils and encourage more…
A protected Hong Kong wetland on southern Lantau Island has recorded a high concentration of petroleum following an oil spill in September, with levels up to 40 times higher than those in unaffected areas, according to an environmental group’s study. Greenpeace in Hong Kong said the high concentration could threaten local ecology. It urged authorities…
Abby Choi Tin-fung’s ex-husband, his brother and father will stand trial for her alleged killing in September, three years after the death of the Hong Kong model. In a closed-door hearing on Tuesday, Alex Kwong Kong-chi, his elder brother Anthony Kwong Kong-kit and their father Kwong Kau appeared before Deputy High Court Judge Brian Keith…