14 h. ago Surge in Hongkongers visiting Japan expected after manga ‘megaquake’ fears fade

Hongkongers’ enthusiasm for visiting Japan is expected to rebound “explosively” in the coming days and months after fears of a “megaquake” predicted in a manga proved unfounded, an industry leader has said. Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said on Monday that rumours of a July 5 earthquake had earlier caused significant concern among some Hongkongers. Many residents had shelved trips to Japan, leading to a sharp decline in tour group bookings. He said his agency normally...

Politics

4 d. ago Chinese pilot stabs colleagues, jumps to death over workplace dispute: report

Police in northeastern China are investigating the case of a China Southern Airlines captain who stabbed two of his colleagues before jumping to his death on Tuesday. The 31-year-old pilot, identified only by his surname Li, died after jumping out of a window in Changchun, Jilin province, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Erdao district branch of the Changchun Public Security Bureau. His colleagues were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening wounds, the report said, adding...

Events

5 d. ago 2 men and mum jailed for up to 16 years after Hong Kong girls sexually assaulted

A Hong Kong court has handed down jail sentences of up to 16 years to two men for sexually exploiting two girls when the defendants separately had a relationship with the victims’ mother six to eight years ago. The High Court on Wednesday also sentenced the mother to four years for child cruelty, including locking the girls in a pitch-black bathroom for hours, and hindering a police investigation after the crimes came to light in April 2023. The two male defendants, former computer technician...

Events

7 d. ago Rolex, Patek Philippe watches stolen in HK$2.1 million Hong Kong burglary

Hong Kong police are investigating a burglary where luxury goods and cash worth about HK$2.14 million in total, including 10 Rolex, Cartier and Patek Philippe watches, were stolen from a flat in Tuen Mun. Police said that they received a report at around 1.30am on Tuesday from a man, 28, who discovered the living room window in his flat at 28 Castle Peak Road had been opened. The man suspected there had been a burglary as there were signs of ransacking, a police spokesman said. Officers arrived...

Economics

1 week ago ‘We are not safe’: murder in Malaysian tech hub fuels student terror

The brutal murder of a 20-year-old university student in her dormitory has renewed scrutiny on safety lapses in Cyberjaya, a township hailed in the 1990s as Malaysia’s Silicon Valley but now notorious for crime. Maniishapriet Kaur Akhara, a University of Cyberjaya undergraduate, was found dead on Tuesday due to blunt force trauma to the head, Sepang district police said on Thursday. “Investigation at the scene found no signs of forced entry into the victim’s residence. Further examination of the...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong police probe theft of HK$3,000 of Labubu figures from claw machine shop

Hong Kong police are investigating the theft of reportedly about HK$3,000 (US$382) worth of Labubu figures, a brand by a local designer that has taken the world by storm, from a claw machine store. The force said on Saturday evening that the incident was reported by a claw machine shop owner surnamed Wong, who was based in Yau Ma Tei district. Wong told police that when he stopped by his shop at around 6.30pm, he found that one of the machines had been damaged and some of the merchandise inside...

Economics

3 w. ago Japan conveys strong concern over China jet flying close to SDF plane

Japan conveys strong concern over China jet flying close to SDF plane  Kyodo News+ | Japan's leading news agency.

Politics

3 w. ago Hong Kong’s top court dismisses domestic helper’s forced labour challenge

Hong Kong’s top court has dismissed a judicial review of a foreign domestic helper who argued police had failed to properly investigate her complaint against her employer due to the absence of specific legislation against forced labour. The Court of Final Appeal on Wednesday, in upholding a ruling last year by the Court of Appeal, found that the city’s lack of bespoke legislation for forced labour was not necessary to provide “practical and effective” protection of the Filipina helper’s...

Events

3 w. ago Fans of Malaysia’s Rafizi face police probes as internal party feud intensifies

A feud within Malaysia’s ruling party has intensified after supporters of former People’s Justice Party (PKR) deputy president Rafizi Ramli alleged they were targeted by the police over social media posts about last month’s party elections. Rafizi, who served as deputy to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim within the party, lost his post in the May 23 internal election to Anwar’s daughter, Nurul Izzah. Her elevation fuelled accusations of growing nepotism in the party, which is helmed by her...

Events

4 w. ago Concern in Japan as police investigation uncovers possible yakuza

A police investigation into alleged organised crime activity in Japan has uncovered what experts say could be signs of cooperation between a domestic yakuza faction and Hong Kong’s 14K triad, one of Asia’s most powerful criminal networks. The concern centres around a video found on a mobile phone seized during an arrest in September last year, which shows individuals sharing glasses of sake – a traditional ritual that experts say can symbolise an oath of loyalty or alliance. According to Jiji...

Events

4 w. ago Nara’s famed deer could face food crisis in winter as acorn trees cut down

A move to cut down acorn-bearing trees in Japan’s Nara Park has sparked concern among researchers about the survival of the attraction’s free-roaming deer during the harsh winter. Acorns serve as a vital food source for deer, while the trees also provide critical shelter, with the animals often gathering beneath dense canopies for warmth and protection in the colder months. “The base of these trees becomes a critical place that determines whether the deer can survive winter,” said Shiro...

Events