4 h. ago Fresh case of bitumen in water supply for Hong Kong housing, lawmaker says

Hong Kong authorities have provided temporary tanks and vowed to improve the pipes for thousands of households in Sai Wan Ho after bitumen particles were found in water supply samples, according to a lawmaker and the management of a housing estate. Lawmaker Edward Leung Hei said on Wednesday that he had also received complaints about particles in the water from some residents at the Grand Promenade and Lei King Wan estates, which are home to about 2,000 and 2,300 households respectively. “The...

Politics

5 h. ago University of Hong Kong’s revised IT hub plan angers Pok Fu Lam residents

A revised expansion plan by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has triggered fresh anger among Pok Fu Lam residents, who have accused it of dismissing alternative sites without proper due diligence and only meeting them for three hours over the past eight months. But some lawmakers on Wednesday said the university had made “major concessions” by leaving a green belt in the area largely untouched and altering its proposal to instead consider building its global innovation centre on an adjacent...

Politics

5 h. ago Hong Kong tech and telecoms giants unite to combat online fraud

Hong Kong’s major social media, messaging platform providers and telecoms firms have pledged to strengthen checks on advertisers’ identities and remove fraudulent advertisements embedded with phishing links. Seven social media or messaging platforms and six telecommunications companies have joined the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s (HKMA) Anti-scam Consumer Protection Charter 3.0. The initiative commits them to proactively detecting fraud on their platforms and networks, as well as cooperating...

Politics

7 h. ago Hong Kong waiter charged with inciting subversion under national security law

A waiter has become the latest person charged under the national security law, with prosecutors accusing him of inciting others to overthrow Beijing and the Hong Kong government in a series of social media posts. Chan Ho-hin, 22, on Wednesday saw his original sedition charge upgraded to one of inciting subversion after West Kowloon Court approved a prosecution request to amend the indictment. The defendant has been remanded in custody since he was first charged on April 30 with a count of...

Events

7 h. ago Hong Kong minister hints at scrapping of MPF tax break proposal for elderly

Hong Kong’s labour minister has dropped the biggest hint yet that authorities intend to scrap a proposal to raise the tax deduction amount for employers’ voluntary pension contributions to older workers, a plan for encouraging greater workforce participation. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Wednesday that a government working group on promoting the silver economy decided that the proposed tax initiative “complicated” the policy objective of the Mandatory Provident Fund...

Politics

9 h. ago Average cost of EV licence in Hong Kong could rise 536% under government proposal

The average cost of an electric vehicle (EV) licence in Hong Kong could increase by more than 500 per cent over the next five years, authorities have said, adding that they will also raise the tolls at two tunnels by 60 per cent amid a significant budget deficit. The proposed measures announced by the Transport and Logistics Bureau on Wednesday also included doubling metered parking fees and a 25 to 50 per cent increase in penalties for illegal parking and 19 other traffic violations. The...

Politics

10 h. ago Hong Kong introduces bill to expand scope for punishing lawmakers’ misconduct

Hong Kong authorities have introduced a bill to the legislature that will pave the way for establishing an expanded mechanism under which lawmakers could face suspension and pay cuts for misconduct. The Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill was tabled by Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki for its first reading on Wednesday. The bill aims to expand the scope of financial penalties to cover situations in which lawmakers were suspended for violating the proposed Codes for...

Politics

10 h. ago Mainland standards may cut Hong Kong rail link costs by up to 40%: lawmakers

A new arrangement for building a major rail link in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis mega development can reduce costs by up to 40 per cent through leveraging mainland China’s lower wages and construction standards, lawmakers have said. Speaking to the Post on Wednesday, legislator Michael Tien Puk-sun said the financing agreement announced the previous day would satisfy the demand of Xia Baolong, Beijing’s top man on local affairs, to accelerate the development of the metropolis near the border...

Politics

10 h. ago ‘Using mainland Chinese standards for Hong Kong rail project can cut costs by 30%’

A novel arrangement to build mass transit links in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis aims to reduce construction costs by up to 30 per cent through adopting world-leading mainland Chinese standards for railway lines, the government has said. The Highways Department said on Wednesday the estimated cost of the first phase of the Northern Link rail development was HK$31.4 billion (US$4 billion) and construction of the spur line using mainland standards was set to begin in 2027. “The mainland railway...

Politics

11 h. ago Heavy rain, thunderstorms to hit Hong Kong on Thursday and Friday: Observatory

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory has warned that the city will be hit by torrential rain and squally thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday as tropical cyclone Danas gradually enters Guangdong. The forecaster also said on Wednesday that it might issue a Strong Monsoon Signal, depending on local changes...

Events

11 h. ago Heavy rain and thunderstorms expected in Hong Kong on Thursday and Friday

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory has warned that the city will be hit by torrential rain and squally thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday as Tropical Depression Danas gradually reaches Guangdong province. The forecaster also said on Wednesday it might issue a strong monsoon signal, depending on local...

Events

11 h. ago Hong Kong firms invest in AI proficiency despite training budget cuts: survey

Hong Kong firms cut budgets for employee training amid economic uncertainties last year, but training hours increased in an effort to boost staff proficiency in new artificial intelligence tools. The findings were announced on Wednesday by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management, based on a survey of 115 local companies and organisations across 17 industries. The survey, conducted between January and April, aimed to understand the staff training needs of Hong Kong employers last...

Economics

13 h. ago Hongkongers may soon be limited to 3 prepaid SIM cards per service provider

Hong Kong authorities have proposed reducing the maximum number of prepaid SIM cards a user can register with a telecoms provider from 10 to just three, and criminalising those who misuse them. A paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Tuesday detailed the proposed amendments to the Telecommunications Ordinance, which are expected to be scrutinised by the legislature next year to strengthen efforts against rising phone scams in the city. Improper use of SIM cards registered under another...

Politics

13 h. ago Hong Kong Hospital Authority rejects claim that locals can’t secure residencies

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has rejected accusations from a social media user that graduates from the city’s medical schools are unable to secure residencies because of the government’s budget deficit and labour policies. The authority on Tuesday evening said it provides “sufficient training places” for all local medical students to complete their internships each year and also employs all eligible local graduates for specialist training in public hospitals. “For many years, the Hospital...

Politics

14 h. ago Hong Kong court orders arrest of singer Tommy Yuen for ignoring theft charge

A Hong Kong court has issued a warrant for the arrest of singer Tommy Yuen Man-on after he failed to appear in court to answer a shoplifting charge. Yuen, a former member of the defunct Cantopop boy band E-kids, was expected to appear in Kowloon City Court on Wednesday on a count of theft for allegedly stealing HK$144.50 (US$18.40) worth of snacks and drinks from a supermarket last month. A charge sheet indicated the 45-year-old defendant stole six bottles of Coke, tea and water, as well as...

Events

14 h. ago Arrest warrant issued for singer Tommy Yuen, who says he has left Hong Kong

A Hong Kong magistrate has issued a warrant for the arrest of singer Tommy Yuen Man-on after he failed to appear in court to answer a shoplifting charge. Yuen, a former member of the defunct Cantopop boy band E-kids, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday night he had already left Hong Kong and had never thought of appearing in court. He was due to appear in Kowloon City Court on a count of theft for allegedly stealing HK$144.50 (US$18.40) worth of snacks and drinks from a supermarket last...

Events

16 h. ago Hong Kong stocks fall on worries about China’s deflationary pressure

Hong Kong stocks fell by the most in nearly three weeks as China’s deflationary trend became more entrenched, deepening concerns about the nation’s growth prospects. The Hang Seng Index dropped 0.8 per cent to 23,943.42 at 10.13am local time on Wednesday and the Hang Seng Tech Index retreated 1.3 per cent. On the mainland, the CSI 300 Index climbed 0.2 per cent and the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.3 per cent. Henderson Land Development slumped 8.3 per cent to HK$26 after raising HK$8 billion...

Events

17 h. ago 5 stocks gain in Hong Kong trading debut as bull market rages on

Hong Kong’s stock exchange had its busiest day of the year for new listings on Wednesday as five mainland Chinese companies made their debuts, cementing the city’s position atop the global ranking for initial public offerings (IPO). Wuhan Dazhong Dental Medical (2651) was the biggest winner of the day when its shares jumped 20 per cent at the open to HK$24, from its IPO price of HK$20. The shares of Apple supplier Lens Technology (6613) began trading at HK$18.88, a premium of 3.8 per cent from...

Economics

17 h. ago Apple supplier Lens, 4 other stocks gain in busiest day for new listings in 2025

Hong Kong’s stock exchange had its busiest day of the year for new listings on Wednesday as five mainland Chinese companies made their trading debuts, cementing the city’s top global ranking for initial public offerings (IPOs). Semiconductor chip designer Fortior Technology was the biggest winner after its shares surged 16 per cent to HK$139.80. The Shanghai-listed company raised HK$2.26 billion (US$287.8 million) from its offering of new shares at HK$120.50 each. Apple supplier Lens Technology...

Politics

17 h. ago Hong Kong uniquely placed to help fill global public goods gap left by US

USAID, long one of the foremost tools of US soft power, ended its six decades as an independent agency on July 1, with no details on how it had been reviewed disclosed. Meanwhile, the China-initiated International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed), made a high-profile debut in Hong Kong in May. Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the inauguration and stressed looking for ways to resolve issues “so as to lend our thoughts to countries seeking to resolve problems or disagreements with others”. This...

Politics