16 h. ago Hong Kong contractors rated poorly by homeowners face removal after Tai Po fire

Hong Kong authorities may remove building maintenance contractors from a government-recommended list if homeowners are dissatisfied with their performance, as part of measures to combat bid-rigging following the deadly Tai Po fire, the city’s No 2 official has said. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok‑ki said on Saturday that the government aimed to improve the Urban Renewal Authority’s “Smart Tender” scheme by establishing a pre‑selected list of qualified contractors. The scheme provides support to...

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4 d. ago Beijing calls on Hong Kong to take lead in globalising traditional Chinese medicine

China’s top health official has called on Hong Kong to serve as a key pillar in promoting traditional Chinese medicine globally, as the city’s leader pledged to align local policies with the national development strategy in the field. At a launch ceremony for the Chinese Medicine Hospital and nearby testing institute on Tuesday, National Health Commission head Lei Haichao offered advice for Hong Kong in advancing the development of traditional Chinese Medicine. “Serve the globe for the benefit...

Politics

5 d. ago Hong Kong official softens stance on rebuilding homes at Tai Po fire site

Hong Kong’s deputy finance chief has softened his stance on resettlement options for people displaced by the deadly Tai Po fire, pledging to take residents’ wishes into account days after calling on-site redevelopment “not practical”. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said on Monday that rehousing the residents of the blaze-hit Wang Fuk Court estate would be handled “with compassion, reason and in accordance with the law”. Wong, who chairs a government task force on emergency...

Politics

7 d. ago Hong Kong slams attempts to ‘smear’ government ahead of Jimmy Lai mitigation

A top Hong Kong official has condemned attempts by external forces and “anti-China absconders” to “smear” the government ahead of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s mitigation hearing, saying the former media boss’ conviction showed that any plots to undermine national security will fail. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai said on Saturday that such smear campaigns during Lai’s national security trial were proof that Hong Kong still faced risks that could not be taken...

Politics

9 d. ago Hong Kong’s late summer flu season is over. But official says jabs still vital

Hong Kong has emerged from its summer flu season, which started late and extended into the new year, but a health official is urging the public to get vaccinated immediately to stave off a looming winter surge. This year’s summer influenza season began in early September and reached its peak in mid-to-late October. It lasted about four months, with authorities putting the death toll at 345 people, including three children. Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection,...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong councillors urge swift rebuilding and rehousing options after Tai Po fire

Tai Po district councillors have urged the government to expedite rebuilding plans and offer Wang Fuk Court residents a range of rehousing options after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, as officials pledged to weigh the pros and cons of each proposal. At the first meeting of Tai Po District Council since the fire on November 26, all 22 members attended, including Peggy Wong Pik-kiu, who has come under heavy scrutiny for advising the owners’ corporation of the housing estate on its HK$330...

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3 w. ago ‘First by letting myself move on’: how Hong Kong mum is rebuilding life after Tai Po fire

One month after the deadly Tai Po fire, survivors are slowly rebuilding their lives. In the second part of a series on how the community is moving on, Fiona Chow tells the story of one mother’s journey to find stability and hope for her young family amid loss and change. Read the first part here. Hong Kong mother of two Christy Lee has had to rebuild her life and provide stability for her young children after losing her husband and her home in the Tai Po fire last month. The social worker, 40,...

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3 w. ago ‘Holding on to hope’: Hong Kong fire survivors make New Year wish for a home

Retired Hong Kong civil servant Ng Kook-yiu takes a shuttle bus every day from his transitional housing flat to the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. “I long to see my home, where I spent four decades of my life. It breaks my heart to see it each time, but it is still my home,” the 76-year-old said. Ng lived alone in the housing estate before the city’s deadliest blaze in decades engulfed seven of its eight buildings on November 26, killing at least 161 people. Like other residents who were...

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3 w. ago Hongkongers urged to quickly sign up for eMPF platform as defence against scams

Cybersecurity experts have urged Hong Kong residents to prioritise the use of an official one-stop digital identity app to register their accounts on the city’s new centralised pension fund platform to prevent theft after scammers stole HK$1.8 million. Some also questioned why the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA), which manages the eMPF platform, did not deploy the government’s “iAM Smart” app as a mandatory process for verifying the identity of users from the outset. They...

Politics

3 w. ago Hong Kong lawyers give free aid to Tai Po residents at loss over next legal steps

Hundreds of lawyers have signed up to provide free advice to residents left homeless by Hong Kong’s deadly fire in Tai Po last month, as they try to understand their legal options and file insurance claims. Some residents have said they are at a loss over whether any criminal prosecutions will affect their legal cases and if they should pursue civil claims against those held responsible. The volunteers come from the Bar Association, the Law Society, non-governmental organisations Equal Justice...

Politics

3 w. ago Filipino helper killed in Hong Kong fire hailed as heroine as body flown home

The body of the Filipino domestic helper who died in Hong Kong’s deadly blaze last month has been repatriated to her home country, with a senior Philippine official hailing her as a heroine. Separately, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen pledged on Sunday to provide long-term support in stages for residents affected by the Wang Fuk Court fire through its dedicated fund, which has reached about HK$4 billion (US$514 million). According to Filipino Secretary for...

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4 w. ago Market rates set Hong Kong’s HK$150,000 subsidy for Tai Po fire victims: minister

Hong Kong authorities took market rates into account before setting a two-year annual subsidy of HK$150,000 (US$19,278) for flat owners displaced by the Tai Po fire, the city’s home affairs minister has said, amid calls for the government to monitor whether the new measure will further drive up rents in the area. Under the new measure, homeowners of the fire-damaged Wang Fuk Court will each receive the subsidy to rent homes in the private market, at a total cost of HK$1.2 billion. Both flat...

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