1 hour ago Malaysia’s new ‘luxury’ taxes hit the middle class where it hurts

In the calm of his kitchen, Christy Yoong once raised a glass to retirement – good wine, imported cheese and the spoils of a life’s work. But as Malaysia’s new tax regime lands with a thud, even these modest pleasures are slipping out of reach. When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim unveiled his unexpected tax on imported luxuries in June, he promised the pain would be felt only by the affluent. The intent was clear: shore up government coffers by targeting the better-off. Yet the reality, for many...

Events

11 h. ago Is Japanese manga ‘megaquake’ possible on July 5 or have Hongkongers lost plot?

The plot of a Japanese manga has played a big role in fuelling online rumours about a “megaquake” striking Japan on Saturday, triggering fear among some Hongkongers and a decline in interest in trips to the country, a hugely popular destination for residents. But are the claims made by the comic book artist, based on her dreams, possible? The Post has gathered expert opinions to debunk the speculation. 1. Why have concerns about megaquakes arisen? The Japan Meteorological Agency last August...

Politics

11 h. ago South Korean officials remove 80 tonnes of hoarded garbage from family home

City officials in Daegu, South Korea, have removed 80 metric tonnes (88 US tons) of garbage from the home of a family of hoarders, after the residents of the household were sent to local medical facilities for psychological treatment. The massive clean-up occurred over three days last month, city officials said on Thursday. The family, consisting of a woman in her 60s and her two adult children in their 40s, was placed under “administrative hospitalisation”. This process involves the forced...

Society

14 h. ago China tells India to stop using Tibet to interfere in Beijing’s affairs

China has urged India to stop using Tibet issues to interfere in domestic affairs, again spelling out Beijing’s position on the succession of the Dalai Lama. The Chinese foreign ministry made the call on Friday, a day after a senior Indian minister said that only the Dalai Lama and the trust he set up had the authority to identify his successor as the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism. The comment is in opposition to China’s long-held position that the succession should be in line with...

Politics

15 h. ago China’s ‘moving Great Wall’ basketballer makes senior team debut

China’s up-and-coming basketballer Zhang Ziyu made her senior team debut in a warm-up match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in June. Many named Zhang the new “moving Great Wall” for her agility and outstanding offensive abilities.

Politics

18 h. ago Beijing taps personnel veteran Xu Qifang for Hong Kong and Macau post

Beijing has appointed Xu Qifang, a Communist Party personnel official, to the second-most senior position in its top body managing Hong Kong and Macau affairs. Xu, 60, the former deputy chief of the party’s Organisation Department has become the executive deputy director of the Central Committee’s Hong Kong and Macau Work Office, according to several government sources. The sources said Xu would be promoted from deputy ministerial to full ministerial rank. As the office’s executive director, Xu...

Politics

21 h. ago China’s Shandong aircraft carrier welcomes hundreds of eager guests in Hong Kong

Hundreds of guests have embarked on a special tour of the Shandong in Hong Kong, getting a rare chance to explore the Chinese 70,000-tonne aircraft carrier and its fleet. China’s first home-grown aircraft carrier arrived in the city on Thursday for a five-day port call, accompanied by missile destroyers Yanan and Zhanjiang, and the missile frigate Yuncheng, as well as a dozen advanced J-15 carrier fighters and helicopters. Students and their adult companions, including visitors from across the...

Transport

21 h. ago Awestruck visitors grab rare chance to tour Chinese warships visiting Hong Kong

Hundreds of guests embarked on a special tour of the Shandong aircraft carrier in Hong Kong on Friday, grabbing a rare chance to explore the 70,000-tonne Chinese warship and its fleet. China’s first home-grown aircraft carrier arrived in the city on Thursday for a five-day port call, accompanied by missile destroyers Yanan and Zhanjiang, and the missile frigate Yuncheng, as well as a dozen advanced J-15 carrier fighters and helicopters. The Shandong aircraft carrier’s Colonel Yang Yingnan said...

Events

23 h. ago Will China’s latest vow to tackle solar panel oversupply have desired impact?

China has vowed to reduce excessive competition and oversupply in its solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, which is continuing to explore global markets. Industry and Information Technology Minister Li Lecheng told 14 representatives from solar PV manufacturers and industry associations on Thursday that the “industry must be governed in accordance with laws and regulations, and disorderly low-price competition should be comprehensively addressed”, the ministry said in a statement released after...

Politics

23 h. ago Heading to Japan? How Hongkongers can prepare amid earthquake concerns

Recent rumours about a “megaquake” hitting Japan on July 5, stemming from a manga artist whose earlier prediction in 2011 reportedly came true, have caused some concern among Hong Kong residents planning to travel to the country this month. While Japanese authorities have dismissed the claims, stating that earthquakes cannot be predicted with current scientific knowledge and can occur anywhere at any time, even outside Japan, the Post has gathered expert advice for travellers on how to cope...

Politics

37 h. ago 150 live goats found, Hong Kong resident arrested in illegal slaughterhouse bust

A 51-year-old Hong Kong resident has been arrested for operating an illegal slaughterhouse in Yuen Long, where 150 live goats were discovered on a site with “extremely poor hygiene”. Authorities said the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, in a joint operation with police on Thursday, raided a secluded, enclosed plot of land spanning Ngan Kam Road in the New Territories, following a tip-off that someone was selling mutton online and was suspected of illegally slaughtering goats for...

Events

37 h. ago Apple’s China iPhone sales face headwinds in second half: Counterpoint

Demand for Apple’s iPhone in mainland China is expected to encounter headwinds in the second half of 2025, after sales of the device received a strong boost in recent months on the back of promotions in the world’s biggest smartphone market. In the second half, “iPhone sales in China will stumble amid weak consumer spending and an ageing iPhone 16 cycle, while tepid iPhone 17 upgrades won’t spark demand”, Counterpoint Research senior analyst Ivan Lam said on Thursday. He added that efforts by...

Politics

39 h. ago ‘Marvellous achievement’: Hongkongers flock to see Chinese warship Shandong

Hundreds of residents and tourists lined Hong Kong's waterfronts on Thursday morning to catch a glimpse of the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong and its accompanying strike group entering local waters. Crowds packed the esplanade at the South Horizons private residential estate in Hong Kong Island’s Southern district, with many setting up cameras to get pictures of the passing warships. The Shandong was spotted near Lamma Island at 7.17am and is the first Chinese carrier to call at Hong Kong...

Events

40 h. ago Hong Kong crowds welcome aircraft carrier Shandong as city leader hails visit

China’s first independently designed aircraft carrier, the Shandong, sailed into Hong Kong waters on Thursday morning, with thousands of people flocking to the coast and hilltops and even renting water taxis to welcome the vessel and three other warships to the city. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu inspected a guard of honour on the deck of the 70,000-tonne carrier, accompanied by two senior naval officers, and was given a tour of the ship in the late afternoon. He attended a welcoming ceremony...

Politics

41 h. ago Senior Chinese Diplomat Upbeat on US Ties, Says War Unimaginable

Senior Chinese Diplomat Upbeat on US Ties, Says War Unimaginable  Bloomberg

Politics

45 h. ago TVB cameraman found dead on balcony of Hong Kong flat in aftermath of blaze

A 41-year-old man was found dead on the balcony of a Hong Kong building in the aftermath of a fire in Sham Shui Po, police have revealed. The Post learned that the deceased was a camera crew member of free-to-air broadcaster TVB’s news department, and has reached out to TVB for comment. A force spokesman said police received reports of a fire at 4.08am on Thursday on the 28th floor of a residential building on Yee Kuk Street in Sham Shui Po. The spokesman said one of the people who called police...

Events

50 h. ago Emperor’s financial struggle mirrors current state of Hong Kong real estate

Hong Kong developer Emperor International Holdings’ struggles reflect the highs and lows the city’s property sector has endured over the past few years. Just over five years ago, residential and commercial real estate prices and rents were hitting record highs. Developers reported robust earnings and had access to cheap financing, boosting their confidence – and that of investors – to spend more on new projects or acquire existing income-generating properties. But this golden era ended abruptly....

Politics

60 h. ago Communication expert Julian Cheng leaves Canada career for China university

Julian Cheng Zhizhen, a global expert in optical and radio frequency wireless communication, has left his position in Canada to join the newly established Great Bay University (GBU) in southern China. Cheng, previously an electrical engineering professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), will be chair professor and dean of the school of information science and technology, GBU announced in a post on its official social media account on June 23. The announcement came just four days...

Politics

61 h. ago Hong Kong’s South Lantau ecotourism plans could harm environment: green groups

Hong Kong’s South Lantau ecotourism plans could be reduced to property projects that threaten the environment if authorities fail to set clear guidelines, green groups and academics have warned ahead of Wednesday’s deadline for developers to express their interest. Greenpeace, the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, seven other groups and an academic also said on Wednesday that the government’s approach, which includes allowing developers to propose ecotourism projects with residential...

Politics

62 h. ago China’s real consumption ‘far from as low as it seems’, think tank argues

China’s actual consumption power may have already surpassed that of Mexico and reached 40 to 50 per cent of the levels seen in developed nations such as Japan and Germany, a Beijing-based think tank contends. That conclusion, put forth by China Finance 40 Forum, which comprises senior Chinese regulators and financial executives, runs contrary to the market consensus that China’s consumption is underdeveloped, while providing a new perspective from which to assess the consumer potential of the...

Events